Metamorphosis
by Nautica7mk
Summary: In a story told again and again. Love is a constant.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Metamorphosis  
**Author**: Nadia Mack  
**Rating**: PT  
**Disclaimer**: I Own Nothing  
**Spoilers**: None  
**Summary**: The only thing you need to know here is that this story won't follow Season 4's timeline. You could almost think if it as an alternate universe.

_It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company_ George Washington once said. 

Is it true? Can I walk this life without the need for companionship?

I have friends that I care deeply for, even love, but is it enough? Are my parent's enough? Am I alone enough? Deep down I know it's selfish to think such things when I've barely really lived my life.

I'm only seventeen; my life doesn't always have to be like this.

So lonely.

So scared.

So vulnerable to the insecurities I created inside me.

I'm only seventeen _and_ my life doesn't always have to be like this.

I walk along the hallway of Lex Luthor's mansion; I needed to speak with him on a number of things. It's difficult, you know, my friendship with Lex. I don't quite know what's happening but I know without a shadow of a doubt that the friendship we both try so hard to make work is crumbling.

I don't trust him.

Sadly, he doesn't trust me too. Not with the secrets I keep. Lex is too incalculable that sharing my past with him would be a risk I couldn't take. Not when so many lives I care for are at stake.

I walked into his study, his fortress of solitude as my loft is to me.

Knowledge. Power. Knowledge is power but can they ever be mutually exclusive? Probably not. Not when Lionel's influence still holds him.

Cling. Cling. Cling.

I glanced back at the libraries' entrance. Lex must be having another one of his fencing lessons today.

Cling.

Against my own better judgment, I follow the sound. I make my way to another room where I see two competitors fight with strategic smoothness. Lex must have been practicing a lot more lately; I couldn't tell which one was who.

It looked like they fought equally, as if one or the other knew how the other person was going to attack.

The fight was so graceful; I ended up just watching it. Perhaps one day I can learn it.

As the duel continues on, one of the swordsman engaged and the other parried then grunted. He was too slow to react and the attacker lunged, taking the score. I crossed my arms and thought the move was impressive.

I waited until they were through, and once they were, I headed towards one of them.

"Lex." The person lifted their mask off and it revealed an oriental 20ish year old man that wasn't Lex. I step back a little and apologized. "I'm sorry, I thought you were Lex." I turn around and approach the other swordsman. "Lex, could we talk?"

If it wasn't for my super hearing I wouldn't have heard the chuckle that came from the person in front of me. I immediately felt like I was the butt of a very bad joke.

"Lex," I continued on.

When he removed his mask it was clear to me why he reacted the way he did. It wasn't Lex at all, it was a woman.

She was around 5'7" or 5'8" with brown locks and highlights.

"Oh." It was the only word I could utter and the next thing I noticed is her eyes. They were green, and it almost felt like it was seeing right through me.

This situation was leaving me more than a bit baffled. "You're not Lex," I conclude.

She raised her eyebrows at me and I saw that she wasn't impressed. "I could see how much you'd confused us. Bald hair. White complexion. We're definitely one of the same," she quipped. The tone in her voice threw me off-guard. It was humorous and lighthearted.

Who is this woman?

I fumbled with my next words. "I'm sorry I thought…"

"I was Lex. I believe we've established that already," she finished for me.

I shook my head, trying to regain my verbal balance. She's leaving me tongue tied.

"Is Lex here?"

She threw me a wry grin, and for a moment, it felt like she was challenging me. She turned to her fighting partner who just stood by watching me embarrass myself. She spoke to him in an oriental language.

"Japanese?" I say.

She shook her head. "Chinese." She tossed her Sabre to her partner and proceeded to remove her Jacket that protected her torso. "The language of the future"

I followed her. "So I've read," I returned, surprised at my own confidence.

She smiled at me, and it was the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. Before I could say another word, Lex walks in.

"Ah, I see you've met my friend Lois Lane"

**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

Lex led me back to his study while Lois disappeared into one of Lex's many rooms.

Reaching the study, Lex moved towards his personal bar. "She's attending Metropolis University this fall…" he says, making himself a drink. He offers one to me but I kindly refuse. Lex continues. "… So she's spending the summer here at the mansion till then." Lex reached down to his mini-fridge and tossed a bottled water of Evian to me.

"Thanks." I twisted the cap effortlessly and took a big gulp. Clearing my throat, "You've never mentioned her before"

Lex drowned his scotch and looked at me. "We've all got our secrets, Clark." Lex crossed me and headed towards his pool table and sets his glass on the very edge. He naturally racks up the balls in place.

I already knew that this was a means to change the subject.

Lex goes over to his selection of cue sticks. "What about you? What brings you back here?"

This is how our so-called friendship worked. One minute we act like we're friends, and the next, we're trying to find more proof why we're not.

When the school year ended, I came looking for him. What I found broke any more chances that he and I can be friends. He had a room filled with everything about me. The crash. Reports. Theories and conjectures. Everything.

I felt betrayed and exposed like a lab rat being toyed with.

I saved his life and it isn't enough for him. Nothing is enough for him and it's tearing the people I care about apart.

Especially me, as selfish as that may appear.

"I wanted to know if…" my words trailed to a silent halt. It was a hesitation on my part.

"Why don't you take a look at the room yourself," he recommended, breaking the set on the pool table with ease.

"How can I believe that it's over?" I argued as calmly as I could.

"That leaves us back right where we started now, doesn't it"

I sometimes couldn't believe how I can see this man as my friend and how I can blindly trust him so.

"Do you mind if I look around?" I asked, knowing that it was too much. I had to know though. I had to see for myself if he was telling the truth. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I made the mistake of trusting him and then it came back to haunt me in the long run.

I remind myself again that it isn't just my life that's at stake but the life of my friends and family.

Lex finished his glass. "I've go nothing to hide," he says monotonously.

And then I leave.

When Clark exited, Lois appeared from the other door.

"He's right, you know," she observed.

"Are you siding with him?" Lex replies, exasperated.

She shook her head but kept her stance. "I'm not taking anybody's side, but you told me what you did. Your friend has a point to be skeptical about you"

Lex cringed at Lois's use of 'friend' between him and Clark.

"We're barely friends, Lois." He sighed. "I don't think we ever were"

Lois relaxed and made her way towards the friend she had known for a long time.

She has known Alexander Luthor since they were kids. She was the tomboy in the playgrounds and he was the older bald weird kid sitting alone at lunch time.

He was worried about how people perceived him.

She didn't give a damn.

They've been friends ever since.

She picked up her own pool stick and played with him. "Green stripe, corner pocket." She hits it in the hole with just as much ease as Lex. "What'd you do to all those decorative stuff you had in there?" she asks curiously, moving around the table to hit her next target.

Lex breathed in deeply. "The car is scrapped somewhere in a field dumpster and everything else has been incinerated," he reveals.

She raised an eyebrow. "Everything?"

He shrugged. "I kept a few artifacts for my personal collection – nothing along the lines of Clark Kent, I assure you"

"That'll have to do," she says. "Red stripe, side pocket." She hits. It falls in precision. There was one other ball to hit. "8-ball, corner." Dunk. She wins.

Lex exhaled as she defeated him at his own game.

"Remind me never to place bets against you"

Lois smiled. "You got yourself a deal"

That same day, Clark and Lex parted again on uncertain terms.

I left the mansion still feeling unsure. Lex was right when he told me he removed everything. I x-rayed every spot I could look at and found no evidence of his obsession with that day left anywhere on the grounds. He admitted to having a small private collection, even going as far as showing me.

I couldn't step any closer though, he had Kryptonite all over his chamber so I kept my distance. Lex didn't find it odd so I left without giving anything away. I was relieved that I was far enough from the chamber that the effect of the Kryptonite was low.

"Has anyone ever told you that you stare a lot?"

The voice startled me and I spun around to come face-to-face with Lois Lane. Lex's friend. The friend staying with him for the summer until her fall semester starts at Metropolis University.

"Hi!" I say in a high-pitched tone. I crashed and burned on that one.

"If you think we're going to have more of these conversations, the monosyllabic responses has got to go"

"My mono..." I had to do a double-take. "What makes you think we'll have more of these conversations?" She's challenging me. I can see it in her green eyes.

"So the boy _can_ speak. That's good to know," she continued to tease.

I rushed to regain my composure. "I'm sorry about earlier." I decided to go on the safe route. I didn't know enough about Lois Lane to start spilling my guts out – not that it ever crossed my mind.

Then she smiled at me for the first time. She is so beautiful when she did. It was like the sun falling from the horizon and the colors of the skies making it enchanting.

"No harm done." She shrugs. "Besides, how can I mind being mistaken for a millionaire," she adds playfully.

"Can I buy you a drink?" The question rolled off my tongue so instinctively, I didn't even know I asked it.

As uncomfortable as I've become, Lois didn't seem the least bit affected. I couldn't help but feel that wasn't fair.

"Not this time," she says simply. She turned to leave but my voice got the best of me and called out to her.

"How about a next time?" I yelled.

She turned her head around but kept walking. She didn't answer me but she did throw me a wink.

That had to be something.

I walked away from the mansion, and once I was far enough to speed home, I make a short stop at Chloe's apartment. My best friend for many years.

The small blonde opened her door.

"What's wrong, Clark?"

I swallowed deep. "I have a favor"

Chloe raised her eyebrows at me.

"What?"

"I need you to check a name for me"

Chloe walked further into the apartment and sat on the table where her laptop was set up. "What's the name?"

I take a deep breath.

"Lois Lane"

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes**: I'm doing a different approach. This entire story will be directly in Clark's POV, which is new for me because my stories are not written this way. Clark isn't being stalkerish, not really. He watches her when he's near her, but he doesn't actively go out of his way to see her, or move his telescope around in hopes to find her on the porch. lol!

_The Talon _

It's been a couple of days since my meeting with Lex and my run-in with Lois Lane. I haven't heard or seen her around. I'm beginning to wonder if she's as reclusive as Lex.

"Hey Clark," Chloe greeted him enthusiastically. There was something up. "Tell me who the best reporter in town is?"

I look up from my seat and I stumbled for an answer. "You?" I didn't come out all that convincingly, but Chloe didn't seem to notice. So I relaxed.

She sat down and removed a file folder from her large purse.

"I got the information you wanted." She placed it squarely in front of her, both hands flat on top of the folder. She eyed me and I felt like I did something wrong.

"What?" I asked.

"You never mentioned she was drop dead gorgeous"

"Huh?" I didn't know what exactly she was trying to imply. "I'm just being cautious, Chloe."

"Uh-huh," she replied disbelievingly. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.

"Tell me what you've got," I say, getting back to the reason why they were doing this in the first place.

Chloe slid the folder to me and I open it. I look at it and I don't quite believe what I'm seeing. As I read through it, Chloe did the pleasure of narrating what she remembered out loud.

"Seems like our new resident brunette will be attending Met-U this fall as a sophomore." She paused, recalling the minor details. "She's a military child. Her father is a 3-star General and she has a younger sister, home schooled and has already lived in six continents by the time she was twelve." She mentally shared details of Lois's life like a manifest.

I cleared my throat when I find something else interesting. "It says here she was in the Peace Corp," I pointed out, impressed by her resume. That was the last thing he expected to see.

"For about a year." Chloe nods. "Kind of hard to believe any friend of a Luthor can be so..."

"Humane," I finished for her. Not the kind of word appropriate enough to describe Lois, but I wouldn't mind getting to know her and find out. If only she took up my offer for a drink.

"Chloe..." I began a little nervously.

"Yeah?"

"I'm thinking of asking her out again"

Chloe's eyes go wide as saucers. "Excuse me. Did you say 'ask her out again?' When did you ask her out the first time?" she asked me in surprise.

"When I saw Lex," I answered meekly.

"But you barely knew her." I only shrugged. I minor oversight. "Are you sure, Clark? I mean, we barely know her"

I hold up the file in her face and Chloe rephrased.

"We don't know her personally," she corrected and I smile.

"Well maybe I want to get to know her personally," I tell her.

"Know who personally?" someone else says. I know that voice anywhere. Lana Lang.

Chloe smiled up at her and she does the same for Chloe, and then with me. "Hey guys." Lana has changed a lot after leaving a month ago to Paris. She came back all of the sudden and said that it wasn't her thing. I never could understand how her mind works.

When she left, I thought that was that. Now that she's back in Smallville, we're back to square one.

"Hi Lana," I return friendly.

"Hi Clark"

And this is how our relationship worked. I say hi, Lana says hi, we try to make conversation but I can barely get a word out that's really my own without feeling like I may hurt her feelings. Then I feel bad, and she feels bad and then I run back to the loft and wonder why it always leads me back to her.

"So what are you guys up to?" she continued on nicely. I felt like being anywhere but here now.

"Nothing that won't get us into trouble," Chloe says.

Lana nods and the uncomfortable level spikes up to a roaring 11 on a 10 point scale.

By some God that didn't like me, Lana sat down beside Chloe in our booth and they start to talk animatedly about something I wasn't listening to when she came in.

It was Lois Lane.

She had her hair down this time. Long, wavy and beautiful, it was like she came in during the slow motion part of a romantic movie scene. 

Am I going crazy?

I watched her, not on purpose but it couldn't be helped. She wore a business suit. Black. It looked great on her. Very professional. She had a phone in one hand and a laptop bag swung over other shoulder. She looked very sure of herself, just like the fencing match the other day.

At that point I felt like getting up and going to her, but I'm reminded of my present company and I immediately stay put.

"Are you okay Clark?" Chloe asks.

"No, I'm all right"

Maybe she'll see me and come over here.

A moment later she takes a seat in the farthermost area from where I sat.

Maybe not.

I sat in front of Chloe and Lana waiting for a chance to talk to Lois. What happened next wasn't what I had in mind.

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN RIGHT NOW!" a tall man with a ski mask on entered The Talon with a shot gun. Instinct told me to take him out. Rationality told me to wait for the right possible moment.

I watched as the thug walked in behind the cash register and wipe it clean.

"ANY BODY MOVES, I'M GONNA SHOOT YOUR HEAD OFF!"

On the floor I watched him until I see movement coming from the front door. X-raying through it, my eyes open in shock.

Afraid.

It was my mom.

No.

She walked in and the thug got spooked and opened fire. My legs froze and I scream out to her. "MOM!"

Someone else pushed her away and one of the school's football players tackled the thug with the gun down. I run to my mom in hopes that she's all right, but the closer I got to her, the clearer my vision became.

My mom held Lois's head on her lap, her stomach bleeding.

"Lois," I whispered, kneeling. I moved my shaking mother's hand off her wound and applied the pressure myself. "Shhhh... it's gonna be okay," I say to her softly, glancing at my mom and then to Lois, the feeling of dread and failure suddenly engulfing me in a sea of guilt.

"It's... nothing," she struggled to breathe. 

She's dying and she made me laugh. How does something like that work?

Lois was losing consciousness. I'm no doctor, but I think she's going into shock. "Hang on!" I apply the pressure a little more firmly, hoping in some way that my will can give her the will to stay strong. Please don't die.

"CHLOE!" I screamed. I don't know if super speeding out of there and to the hospital would do more damage than good.

"I've called the police," I barely heard her say. "The ambulance are on there way," Lana added.

I watched Lois helplessly as my vision focused on her wound. I saw the blood filling her stomach in fast speed, they needed to get her help and they needed it now. I was scared. I should've stopped him when I had the chance. I should've put aside my secret and did what was right. What was the point of these powers if I can't openly use them to save people?

"You're not going to die," I say to her softly, and I saw that her world turned black.

**To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

_Smallville General_

My mom and I waited anxiously in the waiting room. The doctors haven't updated any of them about Lois's condition. Lana stayed behind at the Talon, answering questions from the cops and helping to clean things up. Chloe came with me and mom, but left soon after, something about an article that needed to be written up.

I hoped it wasn't the shooting. That's the last thing I wanted to read in the Torch paper.

Shortly after mom and I came into the ER with Lois, dad rushed in as soon as he got the call from me. Mom was pretty shook up but as soon as dad came, she was less stressed and emotional. Who wouldn't be emotional when you were holding the life of the person who saved you in your arms?

So many thoughts flew through my mind, I couldn't think straight.

We waited. And waited. And waited.

The double door entrance opened and out came Lex Luthor. Upset and frantic.

"Where is SHE?" he asked the desk clerk angrily. "Lois Lane," he adds.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor, but Miss Lane is in the operating room right now," the clerk replies as calmly as possible.

"What's HAPPENING? Is she OKAY? ANSWER ME!"

I've never seen Lex react this way over anyone before. Not with his father. Not even with his former wives. 

"Please, Mr. Luthor, we're doing the best we can"

I stand up from where I sat and approached him. "Lex," I say but he shoved my arm off his shoulder.

"Get away from... Clark?" Lex was sweating, his face full of worry. "What are you doing here?"

"She saved my life," my mom suddenly interrupted. Lex is confused. My mother continued. "Lois saved my life"

Lex looked like he was off-balance. I try to give him a hand but he slaps it away. "Stay away from me!" his voice was deep. Scared. Almost final. "Stay away from Lois and stay away from me," he ordered. "She's my friend, not yours"

If this was any other instance, I'd tell him he was being unreasonable or irrational. Truth is; Lois isn't a friend of his. He'd like to think that they could be friends but that's not what's important right now. 

What's important is that she survives.

"Look," I try to reason with him.

"GO AWAY!" he yelled forcefully at me. I step back in shock and ashamed. Is this what it felt like for Lex whenever I threw his friendship in his face and asked him to leave me alone? Whenever anyone judged him? If so, it didn't feel all that great.

I felt my dad touch my arm. "Come on Clark, we're no help arguing here. We'll call in the morning." I wanted to protest, say that I wasn't doing anything wrong, but a part of me knew it was Lex who should be by her side when she wakes up.

She will make it.

I refuse to think otherwise.

Five agonizing hours later, Lex sat waiting for a doctor, anybody, to tell him how Lois was doing. Finally, someone came to him.

"Mr. Luthor?"

"Yes, that's me." He stood up, shaken and nervous. "How is she?"

"Are you her husband?"

He shook his head. "What does it matter? Is she okay or not?"

The doctor inhaled deeply. The stomach wound was severe. It is rarely what you see on television. When a bullet enters the body, you can describe it almost like a spinning missile. The amount of damage and relative size of the entrance and exit wounds depends on many factors: the caliber of the bullet, the distance from the victim when fired, and the organs, bone, blood vessels and other structures hit.

How does a doctor explain this to a man like Lex Luthor?

"We've stopped the bleeding and she's resting comfortably." He decided that details were better left to family, and he didn't appear to be one.

"So she's okay?" Lex relaxed a little.

"We'll know more once she's awake"

"Can I sit by her?"

"Mr. Luthor..."

"I'm not going to ask again, Doctor"

The doctor agreed in defeat. "Very well. If anything happens, please notify the nurses immediately."

Lex followed one of the nurses to Lois's room without so much as a thank you.

_ICU – Lois's Recovery Room (Sometime Later)_

Striking bones causes the bullet to become misshapen, flattening out. The bone shatters, creating splinters that themselves can become lethal weapons, and altering the path of the bullet in an unpredictable manner.

Sometimes the final resting place of the bullet in the body or the place where it exits is very unexpected. As a general rule, exit wounds are larger than entrance wounds - sometimes inches larger, if the bullet's shape has become distorted by the structures hit.

Luckily for Lois, she passed the worse.

Now she laid there in massive pain. She felt awful. Besides the pain she felt in her abdomen, the sounds of the heart monitors going Beep... Beep... Beep... is liable to make anybody go insane. She lifted her head and felt she couldn't do so.

The pain was excruciating. 

What did they pump her with? And could she get more? The medicine that kept the pain at bay is close to receding, and she certainly couldn't have that happen.

She tried to look around. Flowers on the table. Flowers by the window. A teddy bear by her bed. Only one man would think of such a thing.

"Lex," she softly called out, ignoring the pain that by just breathing, it hurt.

"Look at you. You're awake," he came into view and a smile graced across his lips. "You had me worried." He didn't mention the Kent's, not yet anyway. She was one person he wasn't ready to share.

He moved his seat closer, holding up a flower.

"Lily," she smiled at the gesture. "My favorite"

"I know. I had it hand picked a few hours ago"

"Show-off"

Lex looked at her sadly.

"What is it?"

"I thought for a moment I was going to lose you"

"I get shot at all the time," she joked.

Lex frowned. "I can count in one hand how many friends I have in this world, and that's not many. I don't want to lose you"

She moved her hand on top of his, a gesture of comfort. "I'm here and I'm alive and I seriously want to get out of this hospital," she ended lightly, but truthfully.

"You're not going anywhere," Lex says sternly. Lois doesn't like hospitals. She never has. Not since watching her mother die in one when she was a child. "You need rest"

"I've done my good Samaritan deed." Then she remembered. "Is the woman all right?"

Lex is momentarily confused. "Who?"

"The woman at the coffee shop. The guy was going to shoot her, is she okay? Did she get hurt?"

One of Lois Lane's most beautiful qualities was her compassion. Even amongst strangers. It is one of the things that differentiated him and her most, but it was one of the things about her that made her the perfect friend to his not always perfect ways.

"She's all right, Mrs. Kent is very grateful," he answered. He had said her name and now there was no turning back.

"Kent?" she eyed Lex curiously. "You mean..."

"Clark Kent's mom. Yes"

She smiled. "Small world," she says.

Lex chuckled. "You are in Smallville"

Back at the farm, I paced back and forth in the living room, waiting on any news in regards to Lois's prognosis. There's a knock on the door and I answer.

"Hello Clark"

"Lex," I look at him in surprise. After last night I thought for sure he wanted nothing to do with me. It's funny in a sad sort of way; normally it was the other way around.

"Lois is awake. She's gonna make it just fine"

My heart skips a beat and I smile at the news. Lex caught my reaction and I stop while I'm ahead.

"Can I ask what happened?" I ask almost reluctantly, but I really wanted to know.

"You should know, you were there," he says with a bit of hostility.

"That's not what I meant"

"I know what you meant." He turned around and looked out into the field. "I'm not a good man," he began. "I know that now. I'm willing to do a lot of things to get what I want." He paused, his words hanging between us. I didn't know what to think, so I waited for him to continue.

"I made a promise a long time ago that no matter how much I become my father. No matter how dangerous I get. Lois would never get hurt by me. She's my best friend Clark, I trust her more than I trust myself.

"If you care about her so much, why don't you change?"

Lex smiled sadly and finally turned to me.

"Her father the General will be coming in later this afternoon. After that, her doctor is allowing her visitors. If you or your mother would like to see her, you're more than welcome"

Lex took off and I'm left alone thinking once again why my friendships are always so complicated. Why Lex seemingly changes into the good man I knew he could be in the presence of Lois and all the problems in between?

Sometimes I feel like two entirely different people.

The boy who just wants to live a normal life, and the man that wants to save it.

**To be continued...**

**Author's Notes**: You may think Lex is out of character, but he's not when Lois is concerned. She's a friend to him.


	5. Chapter 5

_Smallville General_

I arrived at the hospital 20 minutes to 5:00 in the afternoon. I called my parents earlier and we all decided to come at separate hours. We didn't want to crowd her. We are still in fact virtual strangers.

I walk the sterile hallway leading to Room 307. There's something about hospital hallways that gives off the feeling of being shrinked the further you walk it.

As I neared her room, I can hear mild laughter inside.

"Mom?" I walked inside surprised that her visitors still consisted of my parents. Mom's laughing and my dad's smiling.

"Hey Smallville," Lois greeted me. She looked tired yet vibrant at the same time. I take a moment to evaluate what she just called me.

"Smallville?"

"It's your name," she says it like it was absolute or something.

"No, my name is Clark," I corrected her. I could already foresee losing this argument.

"Smallville sounds infinitely better"

I give her a look, and here I thought I was going crazy.

"Mom." I walked further into the room. "Dad." A few more steps and I reach the end of Lois's bed. "What are you guys still doing here?"

My mom was just about to answer when Lois moved in. 

"I used my disability to convince your mom to tell me as much embarrassing stories about you growing up. It makes for some interesting blackmail material in the future," she says mischievously.

I saw my parents smile at my interaction with Lois and I went a little red with excitement. And did she mention future? I came with the intention to help make her feel better but instead, she was the one making me smile.

Why does she keep doing this? It's practically unfair.

I finally take the time to look around her room. It was filled with flowers and gifts; no doubt they were all from Lex. What he noticed though was a continuous theme. Lilies. They must be her favorite.

"Umm... I forgot something outside," I say, excusing myself. My mom looks at me questioningly but I told them all that I'll be back in a couple of minutes.

I left quickly and flipped open my cell phone.

I dial 411.

"Hello, this is the operator, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I was wondering where in the U.S. grows its best lilies." He waited anxiously. "Pacific coast near the California-Oregon border. Okay, thanks." I look both ways to make sure everything was clear. When no one was looking I speeded off only to return in a matter of minutes.

"Hi," I greeted the room once again feeling a little bit more prepared.

Lois raised an amused eyebrow. "You weren't kidding. That was barely over a couple of minutes"

"You were timing me?" I grinned at the thought.

She rolled her eyes. A first. "You wish." She looked behind me, noticing something behind my back and smirked. "You brought me something," she says cockily.

This time I had to roll my eyes. I've never met anyone so arrogant. Unfortunately for me, she's cute when she does it.

I showed handed her the flowers and she takes it graciously. I could tell she was surprised.

"Easter Lilies," she looked over it with such care and grace. "Where'd you find this? They only grow in the West Coast"

I look at my parents and they look at me. Dad shook his head and my mom, well, I'm not perfect at reading facial expression but it's pretty clear she thought it was sweet.

"I got lucky on the way"

She gave me another smile and my knees feel like they're turning weak.

"I think it's time for me and Jonathan to let you rest now." Mom patted her hand in a motherly fashion that I could see Lois's eyes glisten at the gesture – but no tears fell.

"Thank you again, Lois," his dad says, doing the exact same thing. There was a chemistry between the four of us I've never really seen before, and I wasn't quite sure exactly what it is.

Mom and dad hugged me before leaving, and I whispered a thank you to them both. They're my parents. I love them so much.

"They're amazing," she says with pure genuineness.

I turn back to Lois. "They are." Then I noted her briefly shivering. Another thing about hospitals, it's never warm enough.

I point to her to give me a second and I pop my head out calling for a nurse to get another blanket. There's a patient freezing in Room 307. I could hear her hold her laughter and I smile that I finally got her to do so.

Once I got it, I cautiously walk besides her bed, spreading the blanket out and resting it atop of her body. I looked around and I didn't like how she was tied down to all these machines. I felt the sudden urge to carry her out of their and offer solace in our home.

"So, Smallville..."

I sigh at my new name.

"Tell me the biggest secret you have," she tells me. I've noticed how forward she is. Especially with me.

I look at her oddly. "What?"

"Tell me the biggest secret you have. Something you'd never reveal to anyone."

"Why?" I'm a bit confused. I hope she doesn't suspect anything. How could she? 

"Because I'm about to tell you mine and I need blackmail material."

Then I smile. She got me good there. "Don't you have enough embarrassing stories about me from my mom? You're being greedy now"

"You're such a killjoy"

I shrugged. "There really isn't much to tell." I paused knowing she doesn't believe me, but surprisingly, she doesn't press the issue. "How about you?" I turned the tables, hoping perhaps she'd tell me. "What's your biggest secret?"

She remained quiet after I asked the question. I don't whether I crossed some forbidden line but I felt like I need to apologize.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that"

She shook her head. "No, don't be. It's only fair," she says, giving me that smile I thought I forced away. "I've had a lot on my mind lately." She shrugged. "You know, getting shot and all"

I chuckle when I shouldn't have.

"Is it about Lex?"

I've rarely been jealous of Lex. Sure he had the money and the cars and the lavish lifestyle, but he lives a lonely life with a lot of emotional complications. Far more complicated than mine because unlike him, I have the support of friends and family. For Lex, he only has himself to depend on.

At least I thought that until now...

"I'd rather not talk about it"

"He cares about you, you know?"

She nods thoughtfully.

"I know." She yawned and immediately I knew she was ready for bed. 

"I'm gonna go," I say reluctantly. "Get some rest," I tell her.

She smiled again and I can't help but smile back.

"Thank you for the visit"

I look her straight in the eye. My blue seeing her green. "Thank you for saving my mom," I say sincerely. I'll always be grateful for that.

"You're welcome"

And then I leave, a part of me wished I didn't.

**To be continued...**


	6. Chapter 6

Since that one visit, I haven't seen Lois for the rest of the summer. Her father transferred her to a military hospital about 120 miles outside of town. I wanted to visit her, but I knew I was pushing my luck. 

Maybe meeting her was just a one-time thing.

Who am I kidding; I can't get her out of my mind.

"Hey Clark, what's with the gloomy face?"

"Huh?" I look up to see it was Chloe. I didn't realize she was here.

"Last year jitters?" She asks in a cheerful voice. "I can't believe this is gonna be it. It went by so fast," she reflected.

I shrug my shoulders. I was pretty indifferent to the whole thing. I have bigger things occupying my thoughts as of late, and no, it isn't about a girl, at least not entirely. It has to do with my father. 

The biological one.

Last summer I put on a ring that held Red Kryptonite and fled to Metropolis for months. The following June, I almost succumbed to my father's calling by bringing myself back to the Kawatche caves and handing myself to him.

It's all been pretty confusing for me, a lot of the times I can't wrap my head around it. Why do so many people have so much expectations from me when all I feel like doing is disappearing?

I'm drowning and no ones can see it. My struggle to breathe is mine and mine alone.

I wish it didn't have to be.

_The Talon _

Martha Kent has taken up the reigns for The Talon. The extra income helps, even though Jonathan protested at first. In the end, his wife won. Naturally.

"Can I have a warm cup of caramel macchiato soy?"

Martha turned around and looked at the patron with surprise.

"Lois!"

The young woman smiled. "Hello, Mrs. Kent"

Martha rushed around the counter and gave Lois a hug.

"Wow," Lois reacted when she felt Mrs. Kent's arms wrap around her. "And you barely even know me," she says a bit playfully.

Martha let her go but still held her in arms length with both hands. "You saved my life. I know enough"

Lois smiled again and just about nearly melted at her sincerity.

"I'm so glad to see you," Martha says.

Lois sat herself on a stool while Martha does the same. "With a welcome like this, it's good to see you too"

"How are you?" Martha eyed her stomach, where the bullet was once lodged.

Lois gives her a half-hearted shrug. "Recovered. Internal organs intact and operational"

"I'm so glad," Martha says in relief.

After a moment, Lois begins to twist in circulations left and right, almost awkwardly.

"So…" she restarted.

Martha gives off a low chuckle. "What brings you back to Smallville? Aren't you starting Met-U?" She waves to one of her employees to watch the register so she and Lois could continue their brief chat.

"Orientation is this Saturday," Lois begins, getting more comfortable at the choice conversation. "I'm visiting Lex for the week before I bring my brain back to Metropolis University for higher learning"

Martha laughs; Lois Lane is quite the character. An immediate thought sprung to mind.

"You should join us for dinner tonight. Or tomorrow. Anytime before you leave," Martha insisted.

Lois laughs, appreciative of Martha's kind hospitality. "How can I refuse with an offer like that?" she says with a smile.

"Then it's done," Martha says happily. "Tonight, seven o'clock." She grabs a table napkin and jots down the address.

Lois looks on a bit overwhelmed. Her initial intention was just to say hello and leave. She hadn't expected to spend forty-five minutes with Mrs. Kent just talking. And it felt quite natural.

Now she just accepted dinner at the Kent Household tonight at seven.

She wasn't even thinking on seeing Clark again either, so tonight will prove to be rather interesting to say the least.

_Lex's Mansion_

Lois walks up the stairs as Lex steps down.

"There you are," Lex greeted with a smile. "I was beginning to wonder if you've become directionally impaired." 

They finally reached each other and hugged. Lex is happy to see her and vice versa.

"I had to do a brief stopover at the coffee house"

Lex nods in understanding.

"Look, um… I know we were suppose to watch a movie tonight, but do you think you can reschedule it tomorrow."

Lex is disappointed but held his feelings in. "Let me guess, Mrs. Kent invited you to dinner."

Lois nods sheepishly. "Yeah"

He smiles weakly. "She's an amazing cook. Once you get a taste of her home cook meals, you're liable to make up as many excuses to stop by"

"You speak like you have experience"

"It was a while ago"

She saw something familiar. "You're mad"

"I'm not mad," he tells her.

Lois doesn't believe him. "You uncross your arms, lower your voice and slump your shoulders when you're mad at me," she explains to him in detail. "And you do it in descending order"

Lex furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. With a heavy voice, "I don't do that!"

"Yes you do," she argues. "You've done that ever since I accidentally broke that really old grandfather clock your father liked"

"Please!" he scoffed.

She rolled her eyes. "All right, it wasn't an accident. Oh come on, it was hideous! Besides, you enjoyed the fact that I drove your father nuts"

Lex had to smile at that. "Why do you think I still keep you around"

"Haha." She places a hand on top of the banister and recalls an old memory. "Remember when we'd use to slide down these things?"

Lex thinks back to those days.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Every time we played tag, you'd ride the rails all the way down while the nanny screams that it wasn't lady like"

They both laugh.

"So much has changed," she says softly.

"As long as we're still friends, nothing has changed," Lex assures her, pulling her in for another hug. When he lets her go, he takes her bags. "Here, let me. I'll take this to your room and you can get ready for dinner with the Kent's."

"You sure you're okay with this?"

"If I say no, will you believe me?"

"No"

"Then there's your answer. As long as I don't lose you completely to them, I think I can let you go this one night"

Lois smiles. "Thank you"

"Yeah, yeah"

Lex didn't like it but he already knew that. And Lois knew it too because hardly anything gets by her. A part of him is just not ready to share her with Clark Kent, or even the Kent's because if he did, it'll be another person that'll be in Clark's side, leaving Lex with no one.

Lex is too afraid to let that happen.

**To be continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

_Kent Home_

It's Monday night and I'm on the couching flipping through channels trying to find a suitable program to watch. There was nothing. It's too early in the fall, any new programs or episodes don't start airing until the latter part of September.

I feel this year will be a long year.

"Clark!" My mom called out to me.

She's been excited since she got home from work this afternoon. She's been in the kitchen forever now, cooking up a feast. Were we having guests or something?

Thinking that the question will get me off the couch and doing something, I get up and head towards the kitchen. The aroma coming from the room was mouth-wateringly delicious.

Just as I was going in, the doorbell rang.

I turn around to answer it.

"Hi……" my voice trailed off. Eyes wide. I go totally speechless.

I look at her and I don't quite believe what I'm seeing. She stood in front of me in a ponytail, wearing a yellow tank top with a blazer over it and jeans that accentuated her curves. An almost complete transformation to the city woman he met two months ago.

"Ahem!" I hear one of us say.

I open my mouth to answer but all that's shared between us is air.

She grins at me, like she knew something I didn't.

"Are you going to invite me in?" she asks.

"Huh?"

"Lois, you _made_ it!" My mom pulled me slightly to the side so she could gesture our guest into the house. "Did you have a hard time finding the place?"

I was shocked. My mom knew all along and she didn't even tell me. Come to think of it. My mom planned this.

"Other than the billion stocks of corn I passed to find the place, I'd say it wasn't too bad," she replied to my mother.

I continue to stare at her not quite believing she was really here. I mean, I haven't seen her in two months, one week, three days and fourteen hours but who's counting.

"Lois," I finally accept her presence. She looks at me and all I can say was, "Hi!"

My mom looks at me oddly, probably wondering why I was acting so strange.

"Clark, sweetie, are you okay?" she asks in concerned tone.

"Ah, don't worry about it Mrs. Kent." Lois waved off. "Its code for, "Hi, Lois, it's good to see you – I'm glad you came,'" she explains, throwing me a teasing look.

I sigh. A little warning to prepare myself would've been appreciative.

"I'm just about done in the kitchen." Mom turns to me. "Call your father, dinner will be ready soon"

"Okay mom"

"Lois, why don't you join him? He could give you a brief tour of the farm"

"Oh, I'm not that much of a farm girl," insisted Lois.

I grab her hand and wasn't prepared for the feeling that passed between us. She quickly jerked it away and I give her an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It was nothing"

I look away sadly, it didn't feel like nothing.

"I'm gonna call my dad, I'll be back"

I walk away feeling like an idiot. I just grabbed her hand. Who does that? Oh, right, me. I just don't understand why I get easily flustered and confused around her.

I finally find my dad working behind the barn. He went back to the house while I stand by my telescope looking up in the sky. I came from up there, and I briefly wonder if I can go back.

"Hey," a soft voice spoke out.

It was Lois.

I keep my head turned away from her.

"I'd say 'Hi' but I think I've run out of those"

She chuckled, and despite myself, I chuckle too before turning to face her.

"When did you get back?"

She moves a few steps towards me until she and I shared the same window.

"Shortly after lunch," she answered. "I stopped by the Talon to say hello to your mom"

I nod. "That's why mom's been on a cooking spree since she got home!" I exclaim, solving the biggest mystery all afternoon.

She laughs. "I didn't mean to give her all that trouble. Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut would've been fine"

"Nah," I shook my head knowingly. "My mom loves to cook, and she doesn't go all out if she didn't think it was worth it"

"Oh God – The pressure!"

"It'll be fine," I assure her, falling into easy conversation. It was better than what happened ten minutes ago.

"I got to admit though, I wasn't expecting you"

She smirks at me. "I got that impression when you opened the door"

I smile, suddenly going shy.

"My mom completely overlooked that 'letting me know' part." I smile genuinely. "Although, I'm not disappointed that you came"

She bit her lower lip, perhaps contemplating her next words.

"We should get back inside; I could smell your mom's cooking all the way out here"

That's not what I expected but I guess I was being a little too hopeful.

"Yeah," I respond softly as we walked together back to the house.

I'm more confused now than I was when she was gone.

**To be continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

_Kent Home_

"So, Lois, what are you're plans once you get to Metropolis?" Jonathan asks in a relatively curious manner.

"Journalism," Lois answered. "I'm thinking of making it my core profession"

Jonathan smiled, even chuckling.

"Is that funny?"

"No, no," Jonathan says to her. "Clark here writes for the school newspaper. He and his friend Chloe has been doing it for years"

I give my father a wry look. "Dad," I complained.

"Really?" Lois looks amused.

"It's no big deal, it's a school thing." I'm surprised to learn that she's into journalism; it's not exactly what I initially imagined her ambitions lay.

"Have you had any articles printed?" Martha asks in turn.

Lois got a bit shy and I couldn't help but think that she looks cute when she did.

"A few," she answered meekly.

"You're being modest," I say. "Being in the Peace Corp and all."

I mentally smacked myself for the slip when Lois threw me a heavy glance. I'm in the dog house now.

"You were in the Peace Corp?" Mom was ecstatic.

"Only for a few months," Lois explained, schooling her features. She now knew what I have done. She cleared her throat and I cringed when she paused to continue. "I volunteered on an unofficial capacity as part of a school project. They were kind enough to accommodate."

"That must've been exciting," mom says.

She looks at me once more, her eyes focused.

"It sure was"

_The Loft_

"I cannot believe you had the nerve to investigate me!" she spat out angrily, following me up the stairs to my loft.

After dinner, I did the dishes and walked straight out of there with Lois close behind. She was courteous to keep her anger on low so we could talk alone.

"Look, it's not what you think"

She crossed her arms across her chest and stood defiantly.

I rethink my words. "Okay, maybe it was"

"You're a real piece of work, you know that," she ridiculed me without pause. "You _looked_ into my life. I don't appreciate backstabbing; particularly when it comes to people I barely know"

"Look, that's not what happened," I try to reason with her. She only seemed to get angrier.

"You judged me before you got to know me. It shows how little you really think of people"

That's not how it happened. "I'm sorry, okay," I say in earnest. "I didn't know who you were. It's just, I can't just discount the people associated to Lex"

"Oh," she says in mock tone. "So this is what it's all about. Lex. You think because he has shades of grey, it automatically means that anyone and everyone associated with him is like that too"

"Lois, please…"

"I thought you were different, Clark – I really did"

"I am different," I find myself admitting, though she didn't really know what the implications truly meant. "I didn't mean to hurt you"

In a soft voice, she say, "To hurt me, you'd have to know me and you don't know me at all." She spun around to leave but turned back to say one last thing. "You know, you mistrust Lex because he looked in too deep into your life. What does that say about you?"

And then she was gone and I reluctantly watch her leave.

She didn't even look back.

_Lex's Mansion_

Lex arrived home after an exhausting meeting with the board. He saw Lois outside by the gardens reading underneath a patio tent. He joins her.

"How was dinner last night?" he asks.

"Okay"

He raised his eyebrows. "Did something happen?"

Her eyes remained glued to the book. 

"Nothing"

"Would you like to talk about it?"

She glared at him before putting the book down. She lifted her knees to her chest, thinking.

"What really happened between you and Clark, Lex?"

He sighed, that was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

"There's not much to tell that you don't already know," he says honestly.

"Yeah, I remember. You took a swan dive off a bridge and he rescued you." She paused. "Then what?"

Lex shook his head, smiling. "It's complicated"

"You've got my undivided attention"

He breathed in deeply, abiding her request. "Smallville isn't your normal heartland state. Do you know about the strange occurrences that happen here?" Lex wanted to know what she already knew so he could fill the blank spaces properly.

She nods. "Yeah, rumors claim that the meteor shower that hit the town in 89 caused an unprecedented mutation amongst certain citizen's. Why?"

"There not just mutations, Lois, it changed people. Physically, sometimes mentally"

"What are you getting at? You think that Clark Kent is one of those people?"

He sat down in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees as he talked to her. "How else can you explain that damage to my car? How most of the time he always leaves a scene of devastation unscathed? How practically every person in town we're in one way saved by him? There's a connection"

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he just wants to help people, mutated or not?"

"So you're on his side"

"I'm in no one's side but the right one. Lex, I know it's important to you to understand, but this obsession you have against Clark has got to stop"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you." He stood up and looked away from her, upset and betrayed but Lois saw it differently.

"Did you know that he did a background check on me?" she revealed.

Lex spun around, surprised. "What?" Her face remained void of emotions.

"Lois, I'm sorry"

"It's not what I asked"

"I had no idea"

"I feel violated," she admits, swallowing her pride.

"He'll answer for that"

"Don't," she assured authoritavely. "I can handle myself, but his actions reminded me of someone else I know"

"What I was doing was different," he argued.

"No, your reasons for doing it were different but the action remained the same. Action speaks louder than words; you of all people should know that," she argues calmly in return with an objectivity of someone that isn't personally involved.

"What are they teaching you at school?"

She shrugged. "Mostly," she says. "Just how to be annoying"'

"I didn't realize that was possible"

"It's a gift," she says with a smirk.

_The Torch_

Chloe was busily doing last minute edits before the next print. She heard someone come in but kept her attention on the light board.

"Thank God, you're here Clark; I was beginning to wonder if you'll ever show"

"I'm not Clark"

Chloe jolted upright then turned around to look at her company.

"You're not Clark," she replies nervously.

"No, I certainly am not"

"You're Lois?"

"That I am"

Even though Chloe read her file, she's a lot taller than she suspected. Her voice erred on the maturity. Suddenly, she felt very little.

"Are you looking for Clark?"

She shook her head. "For you, actually"

Chloe gulped.

Lois takes one step forward. "May I?"

Chloe immediately gestures inside. "Of course. Come in. It's not much…"

Lois gave her a reassuring smile. "It looks great." One wall caught her attention.

Chloe notices. "That's my 'Wall of Weird'"

"Hmm…" she observes. Chloe almost felt like she was being scrutinized. "It's appropriate, I guess." She lifted one article to find another with Clark's picture on it. "Do you find him weird?"

Chloe shot up in defense. "No, he's a miracle"

"That's quite a statement"

"What can I do for you, Miss Lane?"

"Lois, is just fine"

"Okay, what can…"

"I heard you the first time," she interrupted.

"Well, you're not answering," she whined childishly.

"And you're becoming increasingly agitated," Lois says simply. "Relax, you're a reporter. Stop losing your cool or you're going to get yourself in a lot more trouble out in the field than you have to"

"I…" Chloe didn't know what to say. She started to feel drowsy, holding out her hand to find the nearest object to lean on.

Lois takes the initiative and grabs her arm, leading her behind her desk. Chloe sat down and gave Lois a thankful look.

"All right, now that you're relaxed, I'd like my files back"

"Excuse me?" Chloe's eyes grow nervous.

"You and Clark investigated my past. I don't appreciate it but I get why you did it, and now I want it back." She held her hand out, her plan facing upward.

Chloe shrunk under her view. She unlocked her drawer and pulled out the file. 

Lois Lane's file.

"Thank you," Lois says, opening the folder. "Ugh. That's such a bad picture." She flipped a few documents over. "I can't believe Mr. Hamilton gave me an A minus, my research paper was one of a kind," she commented before closing it. "Is this all?"

Chloe nods, not quite sure how to proceed.

"Well then, I'll let you get back to work." Lois threw her a smile before turning around to leave. She passes a student who just walked in the door, his attention in a text book.

"Hey Clark." She passes him again without turning.

_Clark's POV_

I was caught completely off-guard, dropping my books on the floor like a freshman. When I turned around to face her, she already made it halfway to the exit.

"Lois?"

I went back into the Torch and I looked at Chloe.

"What happened?"

Chloe shrugs. "I have no idea"

**To be continued…**


	9. Chapter 9

_Six Months Later_

I joined the football team this year. Against better judgment, I told my dad that I had to give this a chance. If there was anything else that I could do that I freely chose; it could at least be this.

That's what I did.

My life has gone bizarre since then. A bunch of crazy cheerleaders pumped their boyfriends full of pheromones, the repercussions of which benched the lead quarterback for the rest of the season, leaving me to take up the lead.

Six months later, a scout from Metropolis University offered to shadow me around campus, showing me my options for the future.

It was all pretty overwhelming. The players on the team took me in without question. The college girls showered me with gifts and promises.

It was overwhelming all right, overwhelming and surreal until…

When I was alone with… two females, I fell on the bed uncomfortably as they kiss me in a manner I didn't find at all sexy. Then, my hearing picked up a strange sound coming in the room that neither he, nor his companions, was making.

I focused on the closet in front of me and my x-ray detects an intruder. I make up a bad excuse about wanting some food and water to get them to leave.

I opened the door to find… oh my God. I close the door immediately and in a matter of seconds, the room is once again occupied by the sorority girls.

"Hi Clark, we brought some friends"

"Actually, um… you think you can get me some more, I'm really very hungry," I say, thinking something fast. Not my best work, certainly not my last. 

The girls stare at him in disappointment before leaving again. Once they were gone, I turn back around and opened the door.

"Lois! What are you doing here?"

She gets out of her cramped space. "I can ask you the same question, but it seems fairly obvious… Hef." She huffed. "Besides, I go to school here, remember"

"You just break into people's places now?"

"Coop's girlfriend wasn't here so I thought I'd take a look around." She holds up the girlfriend's diary. "She's not Hemingway, but still I…"

Clark interrupts but not before thinking 'Who the hell is Coop?'

"We gotta go before they catch us"

_Metropolis General_

The world doesn't want to give me a break. I thought I saw the last of Lois Lane six months ago, but it seems like we always finds ourselves in peculiar situations. Like right now for example.

A couple of days ago, Lois attended a frat party. She drank. She left. Naturally, she was followed. Some player tried to hit on her and she knocked him down a peg or two. The next day, officers handcuffed her and charged her for assault and battery.

I knew then that something was up.

"I told you to wait outside"

"I don't do well with waiting," she tells me. She's annoyed again.

"I can handle this"

"Like hell you can." I groaned and she continued. "Look, all I did was kick Coop on his ass; he was perfectly healthy and mobile when I left him. Now he's paralyzed and if he dies, I'll be accused of manslaughter"

"What is she doing here?" Geoff approaches Lois and me in a defensive tone. I hurriedly put myself between them.

"She's with me." Lois throws me a look and I silently give her a look to just 'work with it.'

Geoff pulls on my arms and takes me aside. 

"She's trouble, Clark. You shouldn't be around her"

Lois could tell we were talking about her and intercedes. "Ok, look, if you're gonna say something; just say it to my face 'cause I have a pet peeve about people talking behind my back." She briefly glances at me and I give her a 'give me a break' look.

_Dormitories_

After attending Coop's wake, I ran to find Lois. I knock on her door but found it unlocked. I opened it slightly. I didn't want to add more years to my sentence in the dog house than there already was.

"Lois?"

"In here," she says from another room.

Walking in, "Hey, I think I know what happened to Coop." He caught sight of her bathroom door open and her in a white towel. I spin around almost at light speed. "I'm sorry… I… um…"

I could feel Lois watching me squirm. Damn her.

"You were saying something," she says and I try my hardest to stop my heart from beating too fast.

"Are… are you decent?"

She laughs out loud and I roll my eyes at her. She's the only one I ever have to do that gesture to on several occasions.

"Well!" I urged.

"Turn around, Smallville. I'm decent." She calls me by the nickname, but I still wasn't sure if I was back in her good graces. "So tell me, what do you got?"

I inhale deeply. Here goes nothing; she'll think I'm crazy.

"Geoff is trading his urine from another student to pass the physicals for Football. I think he's a meteor freak. I saw him touch the person and he went limp fast"

Lois sighed and took a seat on one of her stools. "Clark." She massaged her forehead with her fingers. "As easily as your town believes these things, it's going to take a lot more than that to charge him with murder"

"Meteor freaks are unpredictable. I got to stop him myself before he hurts anyone else"

"With what, your great fashion sense?"

Exasperated, "I'm serious, Lois"

"So am I." She puts on her coat and heads to the door. "Find Geoff, neutralize him or something," she instructed.

I look at her with a bit of concern. "What about you?"

"I'm going to have a talk with Mr. Peabody and see if I could get a confession out of him"

I grabbed her hand and that strange feeling passed between us again. This time, Lois didn't jerk her hand away. "Be careful Lois." I really meant it and then I let her go.

I'm beginning to feel that it's getting harder every time I did so.

_Smallville, Kansas_

"I want to believe that I could go out there and play football like any other normal college kid, but the fact is, I have powers that no other athlete has"

I'm sitting in the kitchen, talking to my parents about everything that happened during my visit in Met-U. Geoff kidnapped Lois and I called Chloe for help in finding her. As soon as I found her location, I convinced Geoff to tell me where she is and I thankfully saved her in time.

I've never been more scared than I was when I saw her submerged in water.

I thought I had lost her… again.

And then…

You know that saying, 'you live and you learn?' Well, I definitely lived and learned, and I did so the hard way.

Walking off that field, seeing my dream disappear with every step I took walking out of that stadium – I realized – I will never be normal.

My powers are my greatest strength, but it's also my biggest weakness. I don't know if I have the belief that one day I'll be able to balance it all.

"Son, whatever happens. We'll make it work. You'll go to college"

I weakly smile at my dad. It took me years to finally understand why he discouraged me from playing football, I realize now that he did so I didn't feel the burnt of missing the game.

I feel my mother's arms wrap around me like a warm blanket. She always knew how to make me feel safe, but that feeling of loneliness soon lingered above my thoughts. My mom and dad won't always be there for me.

One day, I'll truly be a lone.

"Knock, knock. You should thin about putting up a door or something. I don't know, maybe it's a city thing but where I come from we like to have a little privacy."

My parents, I included looks at her in surprise. "Lois, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to thank you"

Mom and dad left quietly to give me and Lois some time alone. I glance gratefully at them.

"Thank me?"

"Look Clark, I don't know how you did it but if it weren't for you I'd be at the bottom of the Mississippi right about now. Thanks"

"I'm just glad you're okay." And again, I really mean what I say even when she's shooting me down.

"Umm…" I stand around nervously again, it's an action I have to start working on relieving if I'm ever going to get anywhere in the world. "About what happened last year, I want you to know that I'm really sorry"

"I know," she nods in understanding and I'm left wondering if I missed something.

"Then why the cold shoulder?"

"Is that what you think I was doing?"

"It was plain as day"

"It's all part of my master plan," she teased. I smirk.

Is she flirting with me?

"What's your favorite thing in the world?" she asks me, her green eyes looking at my blue once again. And it stayed there, waiting.

"The stars," I reveal.

She smiled and I instinctively smiled back.

"What about you?" I ask her.

She looks high above her head, staring at the ceiling before she answered.

"To fly"

I watch her leave the house and get in her car. Unlike before, she did turn back and look at me. And I look at her in return. Maybe the world won't be such a lonely place after all.

**To be continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

We had lunch the next day. Yeah, I know, I'm surprised too. I bumbly ask her to join me for something to eat and to my surprise, she says yes. I truly hope that this time, we can form a real friendship, and not one out of circumstance.

Now here we were, at the Talon, conversing on all matter of things.

And the first thing I notice about her is how attentive she's been. I talked a lot about astronomy and I'm incredibly thankful that she made a very convincing effort to be interested. I know that it isn't the type of subject matter most people enjoy.

Little did Clark know - across the room - two pair of eyes watched Lois and Clark talk in happy animated fashion.

"That's her?"

Chloe nods. "Yup"

"She's look a lot different than I remember"

"Lana," Chloe started like a mother trying to explain something very simplistic to a child. "She was bleeding to death the last time you saw her."

"So…" Lana dismissed. She couldn't stop staring at them two. Clark looked so happy with her. Happier in the twenty minutes they've been watching them together than she's known Clark the past four years. "Are they dating?"

Chloe shrugged, not really knowing. "As far as I know… No"

"So she really is the friend Lex never talks about?"

"Yup," Chloe answered.

"I wonder why he's never mentioned her to us. At least I thought Lex and I were friends"

"I've stopped trying to figure out how Lex's brain functions work. Besides, she really seems like a good person"

"How do you know? Is that a reporter's instinct or something?"

"No," she nods thoughtfully. "I just feel that she is"

Lois is laughing at my lame attempt at a joke, and for a moment I feel like I've got the upper hand until she says something that makes me laugh even more. I cover my face with both hands, trying my best to keep my laughter at bay. She never lets up.

"You're crazy, you know that?" My sides ache a bit but I continue to laugh because it's still funny.

"I'm not crazy!" She throws me a crumpled up napkin and I catch it with ease. She smirks, and I smirk on back. "I prefer to be called unique"

"Unique?" I smiled, and then I shake my head.

"That's right, unique," she repeated with that infectious smile of hers.

"So, Miss Lane," I say in a gentlemanly manner. This was it; I'm going to ask her a very important question. "Are you seeing anyone?"

She smiled again and leaned back on the booth.

"That's a bold question, Mr. Kent," she played along and used a tactical maneuver to invade answering the question.

I raise my eyebrows and wonder, is she messing with me?

"It's a bold era," I say, trying to figure out where exactly this conversation is going to end up in. I never know with her. "So tell me, do you have another half waiting for you on a carrier or in another country somewhere?" Selfishly, I really wish she didn't. Really.

She smiled again, and I can never tell if that's a good or bad thing.

"Nobody special," she answered quickly, sitting herself a little more upright than her reclined position a moment ago.

I frowned. "So there is someone?" Then she laughed, and I wonder, "What?"

"Have you ever had a girlfriend, Clark?" Ooh, she turned the tables on me, and I'm not even stopping her.

I felt myself go shy, and I don't know where it came from. My experience with the opposite sex has not been the greatest. I shake my head in a quiet manner.

"Not really"

She looks at me oddly and I rephrase.

"I've had… one… No, two… wait, one and… a half." I didn't just crash and burn, I totally obliterated myself.

Suffice to say, Lois didn't seem to mind. "How exactly would there be an 'a half.' Who'd you date, a paraplegic?"

I shoot her a look.

"No"

"Well…" she waited.

"I went with Chloe to a dance once, and I dated this girl Lana for a day or two," I finally admit. After hearing it coming out of my voice, that didn't seem a whole lot.

She broke out into laughter and under normal circumstance, I'd be mortified. Surprisingly, I grew amused at my situation as well.

"That's sad"

"I know," I completely agree with her.

"Do you mind explaining it with a little more detail?"

"Ahh…" I grew somewhat reluctant; there really isn't much to tell. "Lana is this girl I've been in love with since we were kids"

Lois looks at me with understanding.

"One of those"

"Yeah"

"So what – being with her isn't what you imagined in your dreams?" 

How can she be so comfortably forward with her questions? No wonder why she's aspiring to be a reporter, she'll make a hell of an interviewer someday.

"Kind of like that"

"Dreams rarely ever are. If everything was perfect, I'd be bored to death"

"It's a lot more complicated than it seems," I reveal vaguely, but it didn't diminish her belief.

"Complications and challenges are not the same, Smallville. What most people see as a complication, they should really see as a challenge. In the end, you'll feel a lot more satisfied knowing you got through it instead of wallowing in self-pity because of it"

"Is that your philosophy?" I'm amazed by her insight. I've never looked at it that way before.

She smiled with confidence. "I live by it. If I didn't, I'd be a very lonely and regretful person, and I don't like regrets"

"I can tell you don't"

"Lois!" 

I turn at the direction of the voice and its Lex Luthor walking to our table. He leans down to kiss her forehead and a pang a jealousy suddenly hit me.

"I didn't know you were in town," Lex says. Our eyes met and I knew I was threading on another complicated ground.

Perhaps I should take Lois's wisdom and look at this as a challenge. Lois doesn't belong to anyone but herself. If I wanted to have a friendship with her, Lex would have to accept that even if he didn't particularly like it.

"I didn't realize I'd be in town either, but I needed to speak with Clark on a few things"

The mention of my name made both me and Lex move stiffly. He looks at me and forms a weak smile.

"Thanks Clark, for helping her." Lex held her hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss lightly on it.

"Anytime," I say, that sting of jealousy coming at me again. Why do I feel like that? I've only just started to get to know her.

Lex's cell rang and I sat grateful at the interruption. Lois and I spent the next couple of minutes talking awkwardly about subjects we already covered. Then Lex returns.

"I have a meeting in Metropolis, did you need a lift?"

She shook her head. "No, but thank you. I've got my car; I'll be heading out soon anyway"

"Are you sure, I can have someone else bring it to the city?" he pursued. I get the feeling that he didn't want me hanging out with her too much.

She glanced at me and smiled. "No, I'm good"

"Very well. I'll see you later"

"Thanks Lex"

When he was gone, I breathed out a sigh of relief not realizing that Lois noticed.

"What did I tell you about making things complicated?"

"That it's better to see it as a challenge," I answer, a slight grin coming off on my face.

"That's correct"

"I'm sorry about what's happening here," I suddenly confessed.

"And what exactly is happening here?"

"You… me… and Lex"

"I've known Lex since we were kids. He's my best friend and I love him, but my life isn't lived by what he dictates"

I nod at how deeply honest her words were.

"I'm beginning to see that."

I'm totally mesmerized by her.

**To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 11

We went our separate ways after our lunch together at the Talon. I haven't heard from Lois since then.

I sometimes wonder if it's intentional, and there's some sign that I'm suppose to pick up, but then I look back at the other times she's left my life and it gets me thinking: maybe we're too much from different worlds.

What can a farmboy from Kansas offer a woman like Lois Lane?

Then, as bad luck would have it, just as I was finishing up removing the truckload of hay, I see a car pull over and Lana comes out. Sarcastically, I utter 'great' and appropriately move to greet her.

"Hi Lana," I say with a forced smile.

"Hey Clark," she returned. Lana walked towards me with legs of hesitancy and with eyes of curiosity. "We didn't get the chance to say 'hi' to each other yesterday when you were at the Talon," she brought up out-of-the-blue.

I think about it for a moment and I'm left flabbergasted. I was with Lois yesterday, why does it matter if I greeted Lana when I practically see her every so often? Is saying 'hi' to her really in my daily top-to-do-list?

Thinking it over again, it took me but a second to think NO.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy." I didn't know why I was apologizing to her; but it's probably because I'm so used to it.

It's like second nature. 

When Lana gets a bad lit paper, I say sorry.

When she 'again' dates the wrong guy, I'm always the first to apologize even when it's completely not my fault.

Whenever she's down and lonely, I find myself going right to that very place and feel down and lonely myself just so I could say 'I'm sorry.'

It's sadly coming to my attention that I'm sick and tired of it.

For the first time since I've known her, I want Lana Lang to go away.

"I was wondering if you wanted to stop by the Talon later," she practically stated, not even bothering to ask the question. I forced my head not to shake, I'm always at the Talon, and unless a certain Metropolis Co-Ed is there, at this point on, I really have no interest in going.

I look at Lana to speak, and for a moment I find myself lost in her eyes. It wasn't the green I wanted to see. It was just brown. Brown and nothing.

"Clark," she says, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" My mind's a jumble of thoughts.

"Have you ever regretted not taking that first move?"

Oh no, here we go again. It's like riding a rusty beat up Merry-Go-Round. We're always returning to the same discussion over and over and over again, giving them results that don't go anywhere.

I don't want to deal with this.

And more importantly, I don't want to have to.

"Why are you asking?"

She averted her eyes away from me for a second. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately"

"Before or after the Talon yesterday?" I question bitterly. I didn't know where that voice came from, but to be honest, I didn't care and it's a perfectly legitimate question to ask.

Judging by her reaction, she looks offended.

"Do you really think so little of me, Clark?"

Guilt.

There it is.

I didn't have to see it coming, it was already there.

She always had a way of making me feel insignificant. Why didn't I see it before? Was I just blinded by how much I believed I was in love with her that anything she says is perfectly justified?

There was a time that being in love with Lana was real, but even when I search my thoughts, I can't differentiate how much of it was pure and how much of it was my need to feel wanted, loved and normal.

For four years that I've known Lana and the rest of my early years I spent watching her, I can't find a single moment where she made me feel all three.

I finally find my voice.

"I think it's time you should leave, Lana"

"Excuse me." She didn't believe me, but that didn't matter because I believed it.

I breathe deeply. "I'll always be your friend – but this – you and me – It' over." I never thought I was capable of saying those words, but man, once I did, it's like this huge weight on my shoulders were finally lifted.

I feel free.

I feel happy.

"If that's how you feel"

I nod, not just standing by my words but feeling it too.

"I do"

**Author's Notes**: Whew! So what'd ya think? I placed this here so I can get Clark completely moved on from Lana without any of that pesky residual feelings going on. It's his choice and his choice alone, and in going with continuity, Clark to Lana will always be the guy that got away. I don't care one way or the other. I won't be losing any sleep over it. LOL! Yes, I know, I'm mean, but at least I'm rational.


	12. Chapter 12

Several weeks past and I find myself a little happier. Like a fog lifted and all of the sudden I see a future for myself. I work the farm. Hang out with my parents. Write with Chloe for our final year at The Torch.

It's all coming to an end in bittersweet fashion, leaving me with no regrets but one.

"Hey Chloe, do you have a minute?" There's some nervousness in my voice but I manage to stay calm.

Chloe looks up from her computer as she worked the finishing touches for the morning print.

"Just a sec!" she raised a forefinger at me.

Some moments and a few key strokes later, she finishes.

"What's up?" she asks enthusiastically, proving to me once more that not only is this the right thing to do, but the best.

I get up to lock and close the door. I didn't want any interruptions, but I think Chloe saw it differently.

"Clark, are you okay?" she asks in concern.

I breathe in deeply.

"Everything is fine, Chloe." I throw her a smile and she returns it, albeit a bit cautiously. "Relax, I'm not possessed or being controlled or anything," I assure her.

With a single nod of the head, Chloe finally relaxed.

"What do you need?"

"Chloe," I started, my stomach refusing to cease the nervousness that I was sure passing right along to my best friend. I look over at the Wall of Weird. "Do you remember the first time I saw this wall?" I ask in a hopeful attempt to ease into what I'm going to reveal to her.

She smiled brightly and I'm reminded of how innocent she is.

"Of course I do, you completely freaked"

I laugh and so did she.

"I remember being angry at you when I found it," I look back solemnly at all the articles and events that passed through our lives one way or another.

"What is this all about Clark?"

I throw her another smile, a genuine one. "I've been keeping a part of myself a secret from you," I revealed, garnering a look of confusion, surprise and sympathy off my best friends face. I continue. "Actually, I've been keeping it a secret from everybody – except from my parents"

Chloe remained quiet, and I understood why. She didn't want to speak in case she'd ask the wrong question or say the wrong thing, making me change my mind. I'm grateful for that.

I look at the wall again. "These people – I'm not like them." Briefly, I could see her confusion. "I wasn't infected by any meteor rocks. I – I fell down with them"

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came. Shock. Surprise. Shock.

"What do you mean 'fell down with them'?" she managed to say.

It was understandable that she didn't completely comprehend my words. I mean, four years ago, my dad told me I was an alien from another planet, and you know how that went. Anger and denial. I hope this confession will lead to a different outcome.

"I'm invulnerable. I can run as fast as you can blink. I can lift a tractor with my bare hands. I can even shoot fire out of my eyes"

Chloe laughed disbelievingly. "Come on, Clark, stop joking around"

"Hold up a pencil for me," I requested. 

And I got her stumped on that one when she gave me a weird look.

"You're really serious."

I nod. Of course I am.

With a trembling hand, Chloe picked up a pencil and held it in front of her and with a single focus from me, I light it on fire. Chloe stands there with her mouth agape, not even putting the fire out.

Before I can commit unintended arson, I walked towards her and flattened my two hands together, the flaming pencil extinguished in between.

"You – you." She was at a lost for words. That was a lot better than her running out of here screaming.

She covered her mouth. "Oh my God"

I try to play it indifferently. "There's more."

Chloe eyes go really wide, it looked kind of funny.

"More," she repeated.

**To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 13

It was a risk, I knew that – but I also knew that Chloe has risked a lot for me. I didn't just tell her because I felt obligated to, I told her because she deserved to know and I love her dearly as my friend. She's earned my trust and now it was time for me to earn hers.

My dad was against it, as always, but like Chloe, this time I understood why he did so. I understand very well why he tries so desperately to dissuade me from making possible rash decisions. 

Though, the fact of the matter is, sooner or later, I'll have to make the decision on my own, and I'm the one who has to pay for the consequences if it doesn't go the way I hoped.

Chloe's been my best friend since grade school. I've confided in her with many things. I know very well the risk of replaying the events that forced Pete to move away, but I have to believe that there's someone out there who is willing to take the same risk as I am now.

In the long run, it may not be Chloe, but I have faith now that my life won't always be a so lonely.

I don't want to be the spoiled boy who lived the great all-American family life completely devoid of any gratitude. I've been blessed with the greatest parents any child coming into this world would wish for, whether it be by spaceship or by birth.

I came and I found them.

My mom and dad.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Mom always took everyone's feelings into consideration, and like my dad, they both backed me up one hundred percent.

Now a month after the revelation and few more weeks before I graduate Smallville High, Chloe is helping me rummage through the yearbook in hopes to find me a date for the Prom.

"How about her?"

"What?" I look at the photo and choke. "Mandy!" I shake my head profusely. "No!"

Chloe sighs.

"You're being too picky"

"I don't like Mandy, she's entirely too obsessive"

"Isn't that right up your alley?" 

"Very funny, Chloe." I scan through a page. "No." I say, flipping the page and scanning it too. "No." I repeat. Then another. Dawn. "God no." And another. "Not interested." I go through the 'L' section and see Lana. "Not going through that again." I close the book suddenly coming to a bad realization.

"I think I'm going stag"

"Clark, it's you're senior prom," Chloe reminded me. I seriously did not need reminding.

"You're the star quarterback, good-looking and smart. You can't possibly have a hard time getting a date"

I leaned back on my chair, crossing my arms like a child would when they were being stubborn.

"I don't want to go to prom with some random person"

"Maybe we should just go together," Chloe recommended. I knew she wasn't doing it because she's in love with me. To be honest, I think she's moving past that phase. Great, she's asking me out of pity, I don't know if that's worst.

"No, you have a date remember. A real one this time. You should have fun – I'm counting on that if I don't"

She gives me a sympathetic look.

"You sure?"

"Prom's in two days. If I don't make it when the clock strikes nine, then it wasn't meant to be"

"Don't be so dramatic"

I give her a hug, "Thanks, Chloe"

"Anytime"

I close the door and watch her drive off. Everything was going fine until prom hit, and I'm just not motivated to go.

_On the Road_

Chloe drove in deep thought. When Prom reared its devious head, the first thing she asked Clark was who he was taking. To her surprise, he had no idea. He was no longer in love with Lana, which personally, she was selfishly glad about.

Lana wasn't the problem; it's everything that surrounded the would-be relationship.

They just never clicked.

Emotionally, maybe. Personally, intellectually and personality wise, there was no electricity between them. Even she saw it from time to time when she wasn't angsting over him. Thankfully, Chloe's moving on from that.

Now her best friend is in trouble, and Chloe made it a personal mission to track down the one person that he may attend Prom with.

The question is, would she agree?

Taking out a piece of crumbled paper and several digits scribbled on it, she dials the number on her cell. She tracked down the person in question's phone number.

"Hello," a female voice answered.

"Hi, Lois, this is Chloe from Smallville. I don't know if you remember me…"

"Chloe Sullivan of the Torch," Lois completed on the other line.

"Uh… right," Chloe says a little embarrassed.

"What can I do for you, Miss Sullivan?"

"Please, call me Chloe and actually, this may sound a bit crazy, but I need a favor… or you know, for lack of a better term, I need your help"

There's a pause on the line and for a brief moment, Chloe nervously felt like hanging up.

"Depends on the favor," Lois answered.

Chloe takes a deep breath and explains.

**To be continued…**


	14. Chapter 14

Prom is here, and I can't remember a time when I dreaded an event. 

Tonight, I'm meeting my prom date for the first time, courtesy of Chloe. Apparently, she's been going behind my back to find me the perfect date. Is there ever really one of those?

This 'date' is meeting me at the front entrance, and I honestly don't know what to expect. I stand by the door waiting, one hand in my pocket and the other holding a corsage made out of lilies.

I couldn't help it; I grew fond of the Magnoliophyta.

Dressed in a black tux, I adjust the tightly tied bow-tie around my neck. In an addition to feeling nervous, I feel strangled as well. It must be my mind playing tricks on me. Anyway, I work to get my bearing up; I don't want to make a bad impression. I should at least try to enjoy myself.

"Come on, Chloe, where is she?" I mumbled to myself, tapping my foot nervously on the solid floor. I look around as I wait, but my gaze caught someone familiar.

I practically felt my heart skip a beat.

It's her.

But it couldn't be.

Lois Lane appeared atop the stair case wearing an elegant white gown that must've cost her a fortune. She had her hair down and her face covered in light make-up. She left me completely speechless.

What was she doing here?

She winks at me, and I look around myself wondering perhaps that I was mistaken, and she was here with someone else. Even the thought that she might be here with Lex crossed my mind, he is the one who got Lifehouse to come and play for the Prom.

I had to be wrong though, because once I stopped looking like a kid who got lost in the supermarket, I turn back to her.

There really was no one around me.

It was just me and Lois Lane in my sight. Her green eyes once again mixing with my blue. I hope I'm not hallucinating.

I gulped. "Hi," I mouthed silently to her and she smiled and mouthed back. "Hey," I faintly heard. Thank God for super hearing.

I look down on myself and realized that I remained in the same spot I've been waiting at for ten minutes now. I try to get my feet to move but my mind wasn't working with me at the moment.

"Hey Smallville," she approached me gracefully.

I smile at my nickname. I grew fond of that too.

She stood in front of me now and she looked 100 times more beautiful than she was a second ago. I believe that if the painter Suerat needed inspiration, she would be it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in incredible surprise. I look her over her shoulder and spot Chloe giving me the thumps up. Oh god. Lois is my date. I look back to her. "You're my date." I announced rather audibly, gathering weird looks from a few eyes.

Lois chuckled and I take that as a positive sign.

"I take it she didn't tell you"

"I'd really wish she did." I managed to say that with a lot of pride and confidence. "When did you get back?"

She shook her head. "I didn't," she says with one of her infectious smile.

I'm even more floored. "So you came..." she nods. "Just to..." she nods again. I don't know what to say. "I don't know what to say." Ugh, I sound like an idiot.

"Shall we do this Mr. Kent?"

I take a deep breath; it was subtle enough that she didn't notice and held out my arm for her to take. And she did, leaving me happy beyond belief as I led her into the decorative gym. She remained quiet upon entrance, looking around as if noting every piece of detail that surrounded us.

"What do you think?" I ask curiously.

She smiled, contemplating her answer. "It's not bad for a small town"

"I take it you've seen better," I whisper by her ear. She smelled good, almost intoxicating to the core. I got to keep my focus.

"Define better?" her eyes glimmered beneath the strobe lights that flickered in and out of various colors.

She easily dominated my line of sight and I'm left to wonder why my emotions seem to go haywire whenever I'm around her.

"You look beautiful, by the way," I comment as we make our way across the dance floor and to the table that held the punch bowl.

She flashed me a wide smile.

"You don't look so bad yourself"

"Gee, thanks," I feigned hurt. I picked up a glass and poured some punch for the two of us. I give one to her and a question just came to mind. "How did Chloe get in touch with you?" I'm still registering the fact that Lois is my date, and I'm left partially wondering how Chloe pulled it off.

Lois takes a sip before answering. "She called me the other night about a certain farm boy deciding to go stag. I couldn't very well let that happen now, can I?" she answered, her eyes sparkling.

"You're hard to figure you out, Lois." I meant it as a compliment, but I couldn't decipher her stoic expression.

"I wasn't aware I was being evaluated"

"You're not," I assure her, but my voice faltered slightly due to how nervous she was making me feel. "I'm just – you're making me – Do you always put guys on the spot?"

She shrugs. "Only the ones I think are worth it"

"Because I – " Wait a second. Did she just say I'm worth it? A new wave of confidence surged through me. "Do you want to dance?" I shouldn't have asked that, I'm not a very good dancer. I can barely slow dance as it is.

She took a moment before answering. Every second she contemplated is a second closer to my embarrassment. I should just stop trying to impress her and be me. On second thought, I should make at least some effort.

"Okay"

Suddenly, a song with a fast tempo blared through the speakers and I'm cursing silently to myself as Lois ushered the both of us to the middle of the dance floor. I can see Chloe holding her amused look and chuckle beside her date.

"You all right?" Lois asks.

"Huh?"

"You have that faraway look." We stopped in the middle of the dance floor and I awkwardly bob my head to the beat of the music.

"I'm just glad it was you who walked up those steps tonight," I answer sincerely, but not entirely the truth. I'm scared to death, I don't dance well.

She raised her eyebrows, watching me as I mentally count my dance steps.

She gave a slight chuckle, and I realize I've been caught. I quickly turn around to leave, feeling entirely embarrassed to want to continue, but Lois reached for my hand, spinning me back around to face her.

"Oh come on, so you're not a dancer. It's easy"

"No, Lois. It's not." My eyes waver to the rest of the dancing crowd, but Lois didn't seem to get the hint.

"You can't seriously be that bad"

I sigh. "You seriously haven't seen me dance," I retorted.

"Most men usually suck it up, but you're really scared aren't you?" I try not to show it but it appears I was failing miserably in her eyes.

"You're not making it any easy for me, either"

"Oh, so now it's my fault you can't 'shake your groove thing?'" she teased lightheartedly, but it still didn't make me feel any less of a fool.

"Can't we just wait?"

"Wait for what? Sarah McLachlan to start belting out? You're never gonna learn if you're always hiding yourself"

"Lois!" I pleaded.

"Dance with me, Smallville," she requests softly. I can see myself doing anything that she asked, but there's still my dignity at stake so I'm not going to cross the line just yet.

"You know, using your soft voice and pretty green eyes aren't going to make me want to dance." I couldn't believe I said that to her with a straight face. I kind of felt a bit proud of myself. "Besides, did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to embarrass you?"

"Why would I care what other people think of me?" she retorted. She had a point, a very good point. With all the time I spent with her, no matter how brief, she never came off shallow. She took everything with a 'heads-on' approach.

"Are you telling me that it wouldn't bother you if I made a complete fool of us out there?"

"You worry too much about what other people think." She moves closer to me, our bodies together. "Do you want to dance with me?" she whispered as she put an arm around my neck and both my arms instinctively circle around her.

"Yes," I admit, swallowing hard.

She smiled. "Then dance with me"

As if some God tonight was watching over him, on cue, the upbeat tempo died down and a band began playing soft music. I had to grin at how perfect it was.

"You're happy," she teased me.

"What if I am?"

"Good," she says as we danced the song away. For that one moment, in her arms, I forgot who I am, where I was, and the life I hid. All that seemed to matter was being with her, even if it only lasted a moment.

That moment felt like a lifetime.

**To be continued...**

Author's Notes: Prom isn't over.


	15. Chapter 15

_The Prom (Continued)_

The night went on, and I couldn't believe how much I was enjoying myself. My best friend Chloe even won the title Prom Queen. It was cute to watch her walk up on stage, receive her crown and go completely speechless when it came to thanking the crowd. For a second, I felt bad for her, but that only lasted a second because a big smile crossed her lips when it started to sink in.

I dance once again with Lois, holding her closely. She's smiling at me, looking intently into my eyes like she had a playful agenda in store for me.

"What's wrong?"

She looked past me, I didn't know why. I was going to ask her but she cut me off.

"I think it's time for me to step down," she says, leaving me bewildered by her actions. She shook her head coolly and pointed across the dance floor where my friend Chloe dances with her date. "I believe it's your cue to share a dance with the queen," Lois added.

I stare back at her in awe.

"Will you be here when I get back?" I really hope she doesn't leave. My parents are here. My best friend is happy. To top it all off, I'm dancing with the most incredible woman I've ever met. I don't want it to end, at least not for a little while longer.

"I'm not going anywhere," she says genuinely.

"Promise?"

She chuckled and I smile.

"Go," she urged.

"Okay." I headed towards Chloe but I still kept throwing a few glances towards Lois until I was by my friend, the Prom Queen. I tap her date's shoulder and they both look at me, Chloe seem surprised I was there.

Chloe's date for the prom is Henry McCormick. He's a nice guy, quiet, spends a lot of time reading European literature in the library. Chloe and I have known him for a few years but never really took the time to befriend him. I'm glad he and Chloe were hitting it off.

"May I have the honor of a dance," I smile, looking at Henry first before Chloe.

"Sure buddy," he smiled, shaking my hand before taking a few steps back and watching us take to the dance floor.

"Thanks Henry," Chloe says as she and I started to dance to the slow music. We're both smiling happy.

"So, Clark, how's your date doing?" she grinned.

"Good," I nod excitedly before returning the question. "Yours?"

"Normal," she laughed heartily. "But very nice," she admits.

I eyed her crown. "Congratulations, Chloe. You deserve it"

"Why do I get the feeling that you had something to do with this?"

"I might've said a thing or two"

"Thanks, Clark." Chloe really meant it.

"I should be thanking you"

"Yeah, you should," she replied confidently, making me chuckle.

"As much as I want to know every detail of how you got Lois to come – what I know is that she did and I'm grateful – but this dance is about you. I want to hang out with my best friend for the next few minutes"

Chloe looks up at me with her eyes glistening. "Sometimes I can't believe how much we've both changed this year. Who would've thought I can watch you dance with another girl and be happy about it"

"Hey, I'm just glad our dates aren't sociopaths," I joked.

She laughs.

"That's definitely a plus," she agreed.

In the hallway of Smallville High, Lois Lane walked through with mild interest before stopping at a couple of open double doors, her sight catching a glimpse of Clark dancing with Chloe.

"Fancy meeting you here"

She didn't have to turn around to know who it is. "Alexander." Then she smiled. "What brings you to this fine high school establishment?"

Lois heard him chuckle before taking his place right next to her.

"I came to introduce Lifehouse, but judging by how completely oblivious you and Clark were when I stepped up on stage, I think it's safe to say that the farm boy is getting under your skin"

"No one's getting under my skin; I'm just doing a favor"

"You sure about that?"

"No comment"

Lex bowed his head slightly. He wasn't upset, just sad. "I have to admit, I certainly didn't see it coming"

She raised an eyebrow but didn't feel the need to question his motives. She knew he didn't have one and that he was acting out in the moment. It's strange when she thought more about it. She's dated a lot of guys before, and Lex has never interfered, but there's just something about Clark Kent that brings out the jealously in him that she didn't like to see.

"Nothing's happened," she assured.

"Yeah," he replies unconvincingly. "Enjoy the rest of the night," he added before walking pass her and leaving the school.

Lois sighed.

_Back in the gym _

When the music stopped and our dance ended, I take one more good look at Chloe. "Thanks for the dance"

"It wouldn't have been complete without it, Clark." She hugs him dearly and then lets him go. I really think our friendship is going to last this time. I just have to have a little faith that it'll all work out fine.

I spot Lois near the double door exits. I jog my way up to her excitedly, grab her hand and led her back on the dance floor.

"Whoa there, John Wayne!" She pulled my hand slightly, stopping midway.

"What's wrong?"

"Where are you taking me?"

"To dance"

She quirked an eyebrow, amused. "I figured you've had enough of dancing"

"Well," I smile sheepishly. "Once you got me into it, it's hard to stop. So, come on, Lane. Reap the rewards," I urge her in a carefree manner. That must be a first for me, and I kind of like it.

The DJ starts playing Black Eyed Peas and I find myself busting to the music. Lois was right; no one cared how I looked out there so long as I was having fun. Lois laughed at me and I laugh in return. Before I knew it, we were both dancing, Lois looking infinitely better than I but I managed not to look like a complete disaster on the dance floor.

This night was perfect.

**To be continued…**


	16. Chapter 16

_After the Prom _

Lois and I went for a walk outside after partying for an hour. I had the greatest time of my life. Not even a natural disaster or Jor-El could take this moment from me. As we walk on the empty road, I give her my jacket so she could stay warm. She tried to protest but I would have none of it. After that, we stayed silent for a good few minutes until I started a conversation.

"So how long will you be staying in Smallville this time?"

She paused and looked at her sterling silver wrist watch before answering. "Two hours," she says, surprising me.

"Two hours?" I repeat, not quite believing what I'm hearing.

She explains. "I have finals in the morning. I figured if I stay till at least midnight, I can scrape half an hour from my drive back to Metropolis and catch a few hours sleep"

"Wow," I utter softly, low enough so she didn't hear, but with the smile that graced her face, I already knew she did. "I didn't realize you went through all the trouble. I'm sorry for the short notice"

"Why? I'm the one who decided to come." She nudged me on the arm. "Besides, I had a good time"

My face broke into a smile. "You did?" My maturity level isn't as high as it should be when I'm around her.

She chuckled and it sounded like music to my ears.

"To be honest, I never made it to my Senior Prom"

I look at her curiously and wonder out loud, "What happened?"

She grinned. "That's for me to know and for you never to find out," she replied playfully but still very honestly.

"Would it be presumptuous of me to ask when you're coming back? I'd really like to see you again." We stop walking and my feelings are open for the world – or more importantly – for her to see.

"Clark – I didn't come here to start anything – I came so – "

"Don't even bother finishing that," I say disappointedly. I turn around to avoid her eyes. I should've known this weren't meant to be anything serious. Just another girl I'm meant to be friends with. 

Then why do I feel like I lost a part of myself when I barely really know her?

"Clark," she speaks again and I still keep my back to her.

"Look, I don't have a lot of experience in this. I can barely figure out my own life but – " I return to facing her. "… I enjoy being with you if that makes any kind of sense"

She kept her face showing a calm façade, but I can practically hear her heart beat loudly against her chest and I knew right then and there that she was holding back.

"You and I – and this thing – whatever it is we've got going – it's nice but it's not – "

I cut her off. "We can try"

She laughs but not in the funny way I was used to seeing her do. "You can't be serious," she stays sternly. "You said so yourself, you've barely even been in a relationship before let alone a long distance one"

"So you're thinking about it," I say in a hopeful tone.

"What?" she looked like she was taken off-guard. It's about time she did so too. "No. Of course not."

"You don't sound very convincing"

"You're making something out of nothing"

"Is it because I'm younger than you?" I ask, trying to figure out exactly what she's afraid of. "I know I'm only seventeen but I'll be eighteen soon"

"It has nothing to do with your age, believe me"

"Then what?" I pursued. "Is it the long-distance idea? Because, I can make that work." Seriously, I really can. "I'm pretty fast on my feet." Again, I'm not lying but she didn't have to know that I meant that in the most literal sense.

"I don't think you get it. It has little to do with you and more to do with me. Clark, I'm not ready for…" she gestures between her and me. "This."

"Why not?" It's an honest question and I hope she gives me an answer.

"For a lot of reasons," she says and I sigh. Not the answer I was hoping for.

I could only think of one. "It is because of Lex?" I have to at least give myself credit for covering all bases.

She looks offended. "I told you the truth before; my life isn't controlled by what Lex wants and doesn't want for me"

"He can be very persuasive," I argued. Why is she being so stubborn when it's obvious there's something good going on between us?

"Now you're crossing the line"

"I'm sorry, I'm just – you make me feel things and it's leaving me confused half the time"

"You and me both," she replied honestly.

The two of us laugh at the situation we find ourselves in.

"Oh God"

"This is not how I pictured the night ending"

She smiled. "How'd you expect it to end?" She paused and took it back. "Nevermind, don't answer that"

"But I want to"

She lifted an eyebrow. "You never give up, don't you?"

I throw her my Kent smile. "It's a first for me, and I kind of like it"

"Oh great, that doesn't help my defense," she teased herself.

"Like I said, we can try"

"Clark, please," she pleaded softly.

I look away from her and stare at the empty street. "I got into Met-U the other day," I reveal to her. I can hear her surprise by the soft sound she made just as she was going to say something. I continued. "That's why I was hoping we could give this a shot. In a few months, you and I will be sharing the same campus." I turn to face her and this time; it was Lois that was avoiding eye contact with me. 

"Lois, please say something"

"Uh – Con – gra – dula – tions"

I frowned, she's a total enigma. "Is that all?"

Her face turns serious. "I swear, you better have not chosen to go to Met-U because I was there," she pointed her finger at me and I find myself stepping backwards as she closed in.

I hold my hands up. "I didn't I swear"

"Good," she relaxed and her next words were soft and caring. "I just – I don't want you doing something that wasn't your choice to begin with. If you go to Met-U, go because you want to, not for some false obligation to someone"

"It's always been my school of choice, Lois. You just happened to be a bonus"

"Oh, so now I'm just a prize?" she humored me.

"Grand prize," I bantered confidently in return.

She breathed in deeply. "Let's just try being friends first and see where that leads us, what do you say?"

I kept myself from reacting negatively, but if that'll give me the opportunity to know her more, than it's an opportunity that I'm going to make.

"Stay till one and you've got yourself a deal"

She grinned widely, seemingly impressed. "You drive a hard bargain, Smallville"

The next three hours were spent starting their 'real' friendship.

**To be continued…**


	17. Chapter 17

"Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice"

Fire and Ice by Robert Frost, he's a talented guy. Four Pulitzers even. He accounts by many as the greatest American poet of the 20th century. I think back and try to decipher his words. What was he really trying to express? The beauty about works such as this is that it makes you think.

Makes you wonder.

Right now, I'm wondering what my future holds for me.

And do you know what else is happening?

Graduation.

Yes, it's finally here. Thank God.

Four years of nervousness, anxiety, bewilderment, crazy meteor freaks, sadness, loss and even destiny. Four years with the bits and pieces of happiness in between led up to this moment. I wish I could tell you how profound this is, but I'm even more reluctant to say…

High school is overrated.

I really can't wait to leave it.

Start anew.

Be the person I want to be and not because of what other's expect of me.

This is my time.

I make my way with one foot ahead of another in slow movement. By the time I reached the stage, I hear my name called forth.

"Clark Kent"

I smile and look at the crowd as I move to take my diploma from the principal. He shakes my hand firmly and I return the gesture. In the crowd, 7th row middle section, my mom is screaming for joy, dad is snapping pictures like a photographer and _Lois Lane_ whistling at me with an amused look on her face mixed in with pride in her eyes.

The best sight I've seen all day.

I wave to them and they happily wave on back.

When the ceremony ended, mom and dad hugged me fiercely, with all the joy and love they could muster in this particular moment. I take them into my arms and whisper a thank you before the sound of Lois's voice broke the laughter and excitement. She wanted to take a picture of me and my parents.

She gazed towards me, congratulating me with one of her infamous winks and I've become all the more confident in winking right back to her.

After an awkward beginning that started after prom, our friendship started to become remarkably strong. I felt like I could share and tell her everything. And in a way, I did. I told her about how different I feel around people, how discovering who my biological parents are effected me. I never revealed to her 'hey, I'm an alien' but I am comfortable in telling her enough that it doesn't give away what I am.

Chloe felt the same way. She encouraged me to be myself around her and not worry too much about all the extra things. I took her advice and surprisingly felt at ease whenever I talked to Lois.

Talking, there's another thing we've got going pretty well.

We e-mail each other often and even do the instant messaging thing that seems to be all the rage now.

_Smallville: Hey, pass your final?  
Metropolis: Huh?  
Smallville: You mentioned you had a final the morning after Prom. How'd it go?  
Metropolis: …… weather here is pretty neat.  
Smallville: Lo-is!  
Metropolis: What?  
Smallville: Finals?  
Metropolis: Oh. Yeah. I passed.  
Smallville: Is that all?  
Metropolis: …. Ack, look at the time, see ya later._

Now that we've got an actual friendship going, the idea of having a relationship with her comes and goes. I know where I stand on the subject. I know where she stands on it. The problem is, neither of us is ever standing in the same spot, so that leaves having a relationship with her of the non-friendship variety off limits.

Summer flew by relatively easy. I haven't run into any meteorite induced victims and it definitely helped me relax more. I'm preparing for college now. Lois and Chloe have become the best of friends in such little time; I'm beginning to feel like Chloe knew Lois better than I do.

"I'm so excited, Lois. This is gonna be the best year ever," Chloe exclaimed in front of Lois widely thrilled for the coming year. I stand by just watching them with amusement while Chloe babbled on. "I mean – the journalism classes I signed up for are the best and I think I'm gonna – "

"Whoa there, Nellie Bly." Lois sat her down besides her. "Remember, you're goal this year is to party and get drunk as much humanly possible"

"Lois," I say ready to berate her.

She ignored me. "And study hard in-between," she threw me a mischievous smile.

"But…" Chloe wanted to protest.

"None of that. This is college. It's all about experimentation. Adjustment. Dring – king," she dragged in the end. "You'll conquer the world in due time, but right now, its ladies night at Mambo"

"Mambo," me and Chloe say unenthusiastically.

"I don't do Latin," Chloe revealed.

"And you know I can't dance," I remind Lois.

She shrugged our complaints off.

"That's the whole point about drinking, you see. Get drunk and it won't matter how bad of a dancer you are."

"I've got class tomorrow," Chloe says and I jump right in there.

"Me too"

Lois throws a discarded shirt to my face which I catch expertly.

"You both suck"

I laughed and Chloe smiles cheerfully.

This is going to be quite a year.

**To be continued…**


	18. Chapter 18

Flying. Red, blue and yellow. Ice that extended high above it looked like it never ends. Air. Clouds. Knock. Knock.

"Huh. What?" 

Knock. Knock.

I wake up from my dreamful sleep and hear a knock on my door. My arms swings over and move the clock face me. 1:30 AM. I growl and wonder who the heck is knocking on my dorm room door at this time in the morning.

I groggily get off of bed to answer. I blink a couple of times when I realize no one was there.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"What the – " before I could finish, I realize where the sound was coming from.

My window.

Lazily walking across the room, my thumb and forefinger split the blinds apart and see Lois with one hand waving to me behind the glass pane and the other holding up Chinese. This girl is crazy!

I lift my window. "Lois," I whisper to her. "What are you doing here?"

She shoved me to the side and crawled through. Oh boy.

"I couldn't sleep so I thought I drop by with food." She spun around to face me. "Chinese?"

I couldn't answer right away. "Uh…"

"Thought so," she completed.

I sigh.

That was the first night she came through my window.

It wouldn't be the last.

After that night, we both find ourselves always in each other's company during a bad day at school. Bad day in general. Even I find myself crawling through her window. We're together even on our good days. We find ourselves together, eating some kind of new dish. Talking. Joking. Playing scrabble.

"Woohoo! Chumpy!" She puts her hands high up in the air before counting down the number of points she accumulated.

"There's no such word like that?" I shake my head in disbelief. They should've just called this game 'colloquially incorrect' instead of Scrabble.

"Of course there is"

"Oh yeah?" I say with an amused brow.

"When someone's a chump, therefore he's chumpy"

I refuse to acknowledge that logic. "Try again"

"Are you challenging me?" She's so cute when she gets grumpy. It's impossible to be offended.

"You bet your sweet little chumpy I am"

But all good things must come to a challenge. Like one of Lex Luthor's dress ball for example. I made the mistake of agreeing to the invitation. Chloe and I went to the black-tie event. I could never get used to these functions. It truly isn't my thing, but Chloe, being the aspiring journalist that she is, and with Lois as her role model, she took it head on.

Mingling with the crowds, she says. Introducing herself as part of her way in networking. I remember a few days ago, Chloe came back from her communications class with a major headache. She complained about her professor's way of teaching and Lois shared a bit detail with her about the subject.

"When you think communication, think networking"

"Networking?"

"Not the routers and switches but the role of networking," she explains further. "Exchanging names isn't enough. You don't just learn their name, you get their number. What they do. Who they hang out with. And then keep a mental snapshot of that information for future purposes. It'll help you in the long run"

I wished she was teaching the course, I'm 100 sure the class would be overflowing with students anxious to learn. Lois has had more experience in the field than most professional journalists out there.

"Enjoying yourself, Clark?" Lex approaches me from the side drinking a tall glass of chilled champagne.

"Hi Lex," I greeted politely. He and I have become socially competitive if not verbally hostile. Our one-time friendship dematerializing with every word uttered between us. I knew a lot of it had to do with the fact his best friend has become my best friend as well.

"I remember the first time you came to one of these. Couldn't even tie a neck tie. Who did that anyway, Chloe?"

"No. Lois"

I should've kept my mouth shut but he was asking for it. He gulped the entire glass down and grabbed another from a passing caterer. 

"She'll always be my friend first"

My fist clench together. "So you keep telling me"

"Feel free to walk around, the food's made from the finest," then he left without a single look back. This is what they are now to each other. Enemies but without the blood-gushing and backstabbing.

"You okay, Clark?"

"No, I'm all right Chloe"

"Was that Lex again?"

"Unfortunately"

"What'd you expect? You're in his party"

"Please don't' remind me"

"Come on, let's go find Lois. She has to be around her somewhere."

Looking for Lois is one plan I definitely don't mind pursuing. If there was anything about a Lex Luthor event that proved good to me, it was because Lois and Chloe were both there. Chloe disappeared for a minute before reappearing in front of me.

"On second thought," she began jumpily. "Maybe we should let her be"

I look at her oddly. "What do you mean? Where is she?"

"She's…" Chloe seem to have a hard time explaining and I begin to worry. "She's sort of preoccupied at the moment"

I softly move her aside so I could get through. I rush towards the balcony and catch Lois with another man. He wasn't as tall as me, but he was a couple of inches below my height with combed back dirty blonde hair and an air of sophistication about himself. He worse this tux like he was made in it.

He moved in, slowly, taking her into his arms as Lois wrapped her arms around him intimately.

"Chloe, who is he?" I wanted to listen in but knew it wasn't my place.

"I – don't know," she answered leaving me feeling strange.

Sad.

Jealous.

"Chloe, I really want to go now"

She nodded and took my hand to leave the party. We didn't even tell her we were leaving. My mind worked overtime on the way back to our dorms. Is he her boyfriend? Was she seeing somebody all this time and that's why she didn't want to be involved with me? Why hadn't she mentioned him before, surely it wasn't because I could handle him, I've been in situations like this all the time except…

What I feel is different. She isn't a crush. Nor an infatuation. I don't lust after her as I did with Lana. Or crave for her companionship as I did with Kyla and Alicia. No, it was different this time.

This time, I knew…

I'm in love with her.

**To be continued…**


	19. Chapter 19

_Earlier that Night_

After meeting with several of Lex Luthor's dignitaries and consumer clients, Lois found herself exhausted from the extravagant festivity. The party barely even started and the only thing she could think of is going to bed.

She wandered the floor for the next few minutes in hopes to see Clark and Chloe. She would at least like to see friendly faces.

Her friendship with Chloe has surprisingly grown to the likes of a sisterly camaraderie. She was amazed of how easily their minds melded. Sullivan was like another sister to her. Like Lucy, except easier to talk to and joke with. Lucy never was able to keep up with her when it came to quipping words, maybe that's one of the reasons why she was taken with Chloe so much.

As for Clark Kent, Lois is still trying to figure out how she feels about him. Think of it like a tennis match, at one end there are a certain set thoughts and feelings while on the other is a whole different set. Hit a ball around from one end to another, it can cause brain contusion if you aren't careful.

She isn't scared – just confused.

Or maybe she is scared.

As the night waged on, Lois suppressed the urge to yawn. She decided to take a walk out into the terrace overlooking the city and just stood gazing at its wonder.

It looks like she isn't alone.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" A handsome dashing young man says coming up to her from behind with a glass of champagne in both hands. He stood at 5'10" 170 pounds and blue eyes.

Lois knew that voice anywhere.

Chuckling, she turns. "Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm," she recited but most everyone knew him as the daredevil Johnny Storm. "I can't believe it, what are you doing here?" Lois greeted him in delight and with a quick hug before relinquishing his hold on one of the glasses.

She hasn't seen or heard from him in over a year so this was definitely a pleasant surprise.

"I was in the neighborhood this morning when I just happened to pick up a newspaper and Lex's face was splashed all over the front page"

Lois's eyes narrowed. "How did you get past security?" Lex, for the most part has always been respectful of the people she associates with both professionally and personally – friends and acquaintances alike. Johnny on the other hand was the only person he aggravatingly butts head with.

"You mean the big guy out in front talking with a _fine_ European woman?" he says with a twinkle in his eye that implied mischief.

Lois shook her head amused. "Same old Johnny"

"Hey. I detest that." He paused. "I'm not old"

Lois laughs. "You do realize that when he finds you here, he's gonna kick you out," she says.

"Yeah," he nods knowing it all too well. "I don't get him. I'm a really nice guy," he says in a mock tone that expresses that the hostile feelings between him and Lex go both ways.

"As great it is to see you." Her face turns serious. "What are you really doing here?"

"Can a guy say hello to an ex-girlfriend?" He moved in to kiss her but Lois moved her head to the side catching his lips on her cheek instead of her lips. Johnny's eyes dropped, embarrassed by his never-ending idiotic moves.

"I'm sorry, I just thought – "

"That I'm available," she completed for him. "You don't show up out of the blue and expect things to become the way it used to be." There was no harshness in her voice, nor malice; just a statement of fact that feelings have moved on. "I'm not one of your escorts," she added softly.

"Would it matter much if I said that I've missed you?" he asked her in a half playful and half sincere tone.

She eyed him still, knowing something must be bothering him.

"Fine!" he says dejectedly. "I'm being put under house arrest courtesy of my dear sister." Johnny gulps his entire glass. Then he takes hers since she hasn't taken a sip out of it yet.

Lois raised her eyebrows, her face wanting to crack up at his childish display. Johnny's a talented guy, but he's also a kid trapped in a man's body.

"How exactly are you under house arrest? Wouldn't that signify you actually being 'in a house' as opposed to being at a party for that to actually be enforced?" she questioned.

"I hiked on out of there as soon as it was declared"

"What happened?" Lois asks bluntly.

"It was nothing," he shrugged off. "Just a tiny mishap that occurred in a race track, but it's all right Lois. I'm okay"

"I was actually going to ask about the car"

He glared at her. "Wrecked beyond repair," he says through his teeth. Failure in the eyes of a beautiful woman, especially Lois Lane, was not acceptable – unless of course you're Lois Lane.

"I doubt that. For a boy who claims can fix anything, I find that rather hard to imagine"

"Ah! That's Reed's job. I take what I can get"

"So I've noticed"

"Can I at least have another hug?" he says pleadingly. Lois shook her head once more before succumbing to his childlike antics and enveloping him into a hug. Despite their history, it's still good to see another good friend.

At the terrace's entrance, Clark Kent stood watching Lois take another man in her arms. His hopes dashed furthermore, he brushes past Chloe and exits out front. He wanted to be alone.

_University Dorms (A Couple of Hours Later)_

"Clark," Chloe calls to me from the other side of my dorm room doors. "Clark, I know you're in there, open up," she continued relentlessly. "Clark. Come on!" She knocks several more times. "I'll call you're mother"

My eyes open wide and I speed to the door, opening it while looking at my best friend angrily.

"That's low"

Chloe shrugged and walks right in. She must be taking pointers from Lois. 

"What are you doing here, Chloe?"

"If I were Lois, I'd say that was a 'dumb' question"

I rolled my eyes. I'm so not in the mood for this, but on the other hand, I feel the need to talk so I briskly walk towards my couch and slump down on it.

"I don't get it. Why doesn't Lois like me?" I say and realize right then and there how selfish it was when I did.

Chloe grabs a seat and puts in directly in front of me. "Clark, she doesn't dislike you." I play the stubborn card and not react too much to her words. So she continued. "You had it pretty easy in high school. Practically every girl threw themselves at you. Did it ever occur to you that maybe this time you're the one who's going to have to fight for her?"

The image of Lois with another man broke through my thoughts and I relent.

"She made it clear she's not interested"

"People rarely mean what they say"

"Yeah, but Lois isn't one to comply with the general consensus. Besides, she's seeing someone now"

"How do you know?" Chloe shot back. "You see her hug and guy and you conclude they're ready to have and to hold. Boy, Clark, you've really got it bad if you're this delusional"

"It's not funny"

"Have you talked to her at least?"

"No"

"Then how do you know they're seeing each other"

"They looked pretty comfortable together," I tell when I saw them together. 

"So does she with Lex, but they're not together," she reminded me.

Chloe left a few minutes later leaving me to my thoughts once again. Going back to the last couple of years since first meeting Lois, as forward and confident as she is, she also happens to be one of the most guarded people I've ever met. Perhaps she's scared or something. Anyway, I should really go see her, maybe it'll clear my thoughts.

_Ten Minutes Later_

I stand in front of her dorm room waiting for her to open the door. After a few grueling seconds, it flew open.

"Hey man, looking for Lois?" the guy greeted from the other side. I take a step back and make sure I got the right door. "Well…" the guy says.

"I – um – is Lois around?" He wasn't the person I expected to answer the door. I saw him briefly at the party, but now that he's right in front of me, I'm even more convinced something was happening between this guy and Lois.

"Yeah, she's in the shower." He opened the door wide. "Want to wait?" he asks nonchalantly and I'm wondering who exactly is this guy and what is he doing in Lois's room making himself incredibly comfortable. He wore slacks and a white t-shirt and…

"Are you wearing Lois's slippers?" Her favorite bunny slippers to be exact.

"What?" he says, opening a bag of just-made popcorn out of the microwave. "They're comfy," he claims and still manage to keep his pride in tact. He crosses the room and jumps over the back of the couch landing easily in its seat.

He flips on a channel. There's a football game on but he quickly switches it too Extreme Sports were a dirt bike race coverage was taking place.

I just stood staring at the display when Lois comes out dressed in nothing but a towel.

I swallowed hard.

"Hey Lo, you've got company!" The guy yells over while his eyes were glued to the screen.

Okay, that didn't seem the least bit romantic. Maybe I was wrong.

"I kind of noticed," she says passing him by the couch, slapping him lightly on the head. He smirked and I'm left wondering what kind of relationship these two have.

"Hey"

"Hey Smallville. I'm gonna get dressed, I'll be right out"

"Okay"

I'm beginning to wonder if this was a good idea.

Her 'friend' on the couch speaks to me. "You play sports…"

"Clark," I say.

"Clark. Hmm…" What's wrong with my name? It's a good name. "And you're…"

"Storm. Johnny Storm," he says arrogantly. "Do you race?"

"Not often"

"Ah," he beamed. "So you ride?"

"You can say that"

While he rested full-out on her sofa, I take the recliner and wait for Lois to finish getting dressed. I watch television with Johnny Storm, him and Lois's bunny slippers.

This is just awkward.

**To be continued…**


	20. Chapter 20

_Lois's Dorm Room (Continued)_

I sit diligently waiting for Lois. I'd glance every now and then to try to size Johnny Storm up. From my point-of-view, he's just another spoiled rich boy – but over the years, I've learned not to jump to conclusions. Besides, I really don't know him.

Strange, really - a few hours ago I was jealous of this guy.

"Okay, I'm ready." Lois comes out of her room dressed in blue jeans and a black tank top. Her hair is still wet and it looks like she's letting it air dry rather than the usual blow dry. He liked that about her. She appears comfortable in whatever clothing or look she's wearing and when it's bothering, she has no qualms about letting people know.

"It's about time," Johnny smirked, eyes still on the television. He lifted his popcorn above his head. For a moment I was wondering what exactly he was doing until Lois walked passed and reached into the buttery kernels.

"Thanks," she says.

"You're welcome," Johnny says, bringing it back down to his lap and grabbing a fist full to chow down on.

It's apparent to me now that they've been friends longer than I imagined.

"What's up Smallville?"

I careen my head back and forth, a move that meant 'can we take this outside.' I even look at her in hopes she understands what I'm trying to convey with my face without being too obvious. She dipped her head towards me as if I was mentally retarded until I burst out just saying what I came there to say.

"Could we talk outside?" It came out a bit forceful, not that I intended it to but I've had a bad day and I needed to vent. I'm just sorry that she was in my line of fire.

And Johnny looked completely devoid of what's occurring around him. Personally, I take that as a good thing.

"Yeah, sure – Let me get my coat." Her voice was low and sounded understanding. A part of me hoped that I didn't come out too strong, but another part of me wanted her to feel the same kind of confusion that I've been feeling for a while now.

_Student Commons_

We walked down to the student lounge keeping pretty much to ourselves. "Is everything all right?" she asks aloud.

"No" 

"Oh." She looked surprised. "Want to talk about it?" We find an empty couch and we both cover the ends.

"Yes" 

"Well – " she waited, crossing her legs. Right over left. Her right leg bobbed up and down, a beat per second.

"It depends. I don't think you want to hear it"

She creased her eyebrows and I knew she knew what I wanted to talk about. She gets quiet, an act that only occurs when a conversation turns serious and she's trying to approach it seriously as well. It's her game face. The one reserved for interviews and meetings. She's rarely ever given me that face and it leaves me a bit intimidated.

"Only one way to find out"

"Are you and Johnny – together?"

She coughs and then cleared her throat. "Uh – together?" she shook her head. "No," she answers. Her voice didn't betray her words. "What made you think we were seeing each other?"

I throw her an obvious glance and she quickly refutes.

"Okay, granted, he's staying with me for the night but he's not my boyfriend"

"He's not," I say in relief.

"Which brings us back to my earlier question," she says.

I drop my head and play with my fingers. There's so much I want to say, but I'm afraid I'll drive her away if I do. I've really appreciated the friendship we've built together – and not just with me, but with Chloe and my parents too.

"Do you like me?" I ask her out-of-the-blue. Her face is unreadable and for a second, I contemplated taking back the question.

I didn't though.

"Do I like you?" she repeated my question in her own words. "How so – like in general or like – as a person?" She covered her face with her hands seemingly embarrassed by her choice of words.

I smile at that.

"Sorry. That didn't come out right," she apologized and I tell her, "No, that's okay. You're cute when you're flustered like that"

She blushed slightly and I'm left wondering if we really do have a chance.

"Well – " it was my turn now to wait.

There was an awkward silence between us before she finally answered.

"You're pushy"

"And you're stalling"

She rolled her eyes but then smiled.

"Yes"

My hearing didn't believe her at first so I repeated her answer in the form of a question.

"Yes?"

She smiled that intoxicating smile at me and nods.

"Not as a friend I hope," I comment hoping that I'm right.

She shook her head. "No, not just as a friend," she confirmed and my heart beats a mile per minute.

I exhaled a long breath. "Finally," I say. My reaction made her laugh and it became a great ice-breaker between us. 

"I should get back," she says, standing up from her side of the couch but I grab her hand and say softly, "Please don't." I pleaded with my eyes for her to stay a bit longer.

She pulled her hand away and another silent moment passed between us. She stepped closer to me and I look up into her eyes and I keep it there. She bent down and just as our lips are about to touch, she stops an inch away. "I really like you." She brushed her hand down my cheek. I can still feel her warmth even after she took it away. "And when I walk away like this – that also means 'I really really like you,'" she whispers to me before pulling away once again.

"I'll talk to you later?" she asks, standing now. 

"Only if you promise me"

She grinned. "I don't make promises." She paused. "They're there to be broken," she says. I notice that she sounded like she was speaking from experience.

I take what I can get and I show her my understanding.

"But for you – " she restarted, surprising me again. "I promise"

When she disappeared, I stand up from the sofa and super speed a few miles away from campus and exclaim a "WHOO!" in the middle of the empty street. I'm so excited; I'm like a guy who just asked a girl on his very first date. I'm on a cool high right now. I should go back to bed now; I hear that sleeping makes the time go faster.

**To be continued…**


	21. Chapter 21

It's been a couple of days since the night Lois and I spoke. I wasn't sure if I was the one avoiding her or she's the one avoiding me. Either way, the results were simple. The two of us weren't talking. I remove my cell phone from my pocket and debate whether or not to call her; I really need to speak with her.

I decide just to let fate take care of itself this time and dial her number.

It rang a few times before she answered. "Hello." I sigh at the voice on the other line.

"Johnny. Hey. Is Lois there?"

"Nope," he answered.

"Do you know where she is?" I ask impatiently.

"She's in some special juridical legal science class – "

"You mean Juridical Science and Legal Specialization class?"

"Yeah whatever"

"Thanks." I hang up on him abruptly, but anyone speaking with Storm for more than a few seconds would feel the same way I do. I still don't know much about him except that he came from a wealthy family. So my deduction of 'spoiled rich boy' is still justified until proven otherwise.

I super speed as fast as I can across campus, stopping right by the door where her class was taking place. I grinned when people started to leave. I'm right on time.

I figured Lois would be out of the class by now but when I glanced inside the classroom, there she was, sitting in the middle jotting down notes. She looked so engrossed in her papers that she may not have known class ended.

"Lois"

She looks up at me and smiled. "Hey Smallville." Then she looks around herself. "Hmm," she comments amusingly at the scene. "Everyone's gone"

"I'm thankful. I get to take advantage of the situation"

She smiled again and began putting her school work into her bag. "You've been waiting long?" she asks, getting up from her seat and walking down the isle on the way to me.

I shake my head. "Not really"

"Look Clark – " She say's my name. Like the other times, that usually implies that the impending conversation is going to be serious. "I'm sorry I haven't called you – or seen you – heck let's work with both."

All right, she apologized, I'll give her that. I was actually expecting her to deny the other night ever happening. I really do wonder what goes on in that amazing mind of hers.

"I'm sorry too"

"You shouldn't," she says. "You made the first move"

"Quite a few times if I recall correctly," I reminded her and then I added… "You're going to have to keep up with me Lois or I'm gonna lose interest," I threatened lightheartedly and she took it all in with a confident smirk.

I've never really done anything like this before. You know, go after a girl that I really like. Back in high school, everything would be so awkward for me whenever it involved the opposite sex. I never really knew what I wanted and just hoped that the thing I did would be enough.

Unlike now, in this moment, I know what I want and it's staring me right in the face.

"How will I ever make it up to you," she quipped.

"Have dinner with me tonight for one," I recommend. "Which is followed by desert," I continued. "Then we walk the scenic route through the streets of Metropolis." This is the part where we're both smiling so I know I'm doing well. "Then I kiss you and bid you goodnight at your door"

She raised her eyebrows at my last recommendation.

"Okay, by my door if that suits you better," I rephrase playfully. It looked far more romantic than having Johnny Storm in her room.

She chuckles and so do I.

"What do you say?" I wait patiently. I was forward in my approach, but I would really like to go out with her and I'm tired of playing this game of tap dance. She's driving me crazy. I even dropped a letter grade in my Lit class because of her.

"How do I refuse?"

I can't stop myself from grinning now. "So that's a yes?"

She nodded and I feel like I'm on cloud 9, whatever that meant.

"Yes," I repeated.

"Yes," she says.

"Oh thank God"

She laughs.

"I'll see you – tonight then?"

"Tonight," she agreed.

"Seven o'clock good for you?"

"It's perfect"

"Okay then," I slap my hands together, walking backwards. "I'll see you tonight." Then I almost tripped when I hit the door and I look at her embarrassed. "I'll see you at seven," I ended, quitting while I'm ahead. I'm just so happy she said yes and from the smile I saw on her face before disappearing, I could tell she's happy about it too.

**To be continued…**


	22. Chapter 22

I pace back and forth in front of her place, the nervous knot in my stomach refuse to untangle. Lois finally says yes to my dinner invitation and I'm the one going crazy out of my mind. I want to make a good impression on her, and she's the kind of person that easily gets bored and that's the last thing I want our dinner date to go.

The door swings unapologetically open.

"Wow.' She looked absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was wavy, slightly curling in the ends but it's always her eyes that have me entranced. I swallowed hard. "Wow," I repeated and she gave a low chuckle.

"Thanks"

Another thought came to mind and I look curiously behind her.

"Johnny is back in New York. Family business. Something about a planned launch to a space station," she reveals quickly catching my curious gaze.

"Oh." A space station, huh. Imagine that.

Coming back to reality, I give her a bouquet of white lilies, her favorite.

She took in the flower's scent savoring it at the same time. "You still haven't told me how you get these this time of year," she says smiling.

I smiled, gaining the upper hand. "I can't. It'll take away the mystery." The mystery of his alien super-powered abilities, but that's an explanation for another time. Baby steps, Clark. Baby steps.

"So what do you have planned for us this fine evening," she says imitating that of an English debutante.

I grin at her playfulness. I'm never bored around her. "May we walk first?" I hold my hand out and she takes it. I lead her out, opening the exit doors first for her to walk through.

Cutting across campus, I take the opportunity to get to know her more.

"So did you and Johnny date?"

"That's a forward question for a first date." She sounded amused.

"Depends. Would you answer it?"

She took a moment before answering the question. "We met in Belgium while I was backpacking through Europe one summer. I wanted to take the scenic route so I hired a pilot to co-fly with me."

I stare at her in surprise. I didn't know she could fly.

She caught me staring and smiled. "I tend to have an affinity to guys that can fly"

I grin at the revelation. I selfishly take a mental note to head back to Smallville this weekend and see if I can get this 'flying' ability to work. A minute ago, it was a hardly a passing thought, now I really want to fly. Heights be damned.

"So that's how you met?"

"Uh-huh. Total hot-shot, but he was very passionate at what he did and lived every day as if it was his last. I couldn't begrudge him of that feeling"

"And things got serious?"

"Yeah"

"This might be a bit forward as well, but why didn't it work between you two?"

"We had entirely different ambitions in life. He's in a constant state of high-stakes death-defying moments. I wanted to be a journalist. It's a mutual decision"

"And now you two are friends"

"Good friends"

"When I was with Lana, being friends with her was just as complicated as dating her, and even that didn't last long"

"I'm sorry it didn't work out between you two"

"Don't be – I'm glad I've moved on – I hope she has too." I kicked a pebble in my way, careful not to put my strength into it and end up kicking it to the moon.

"First loves can be too big a memory to move pass"

"She was my first crush – I can hardly call what we had love. A large part of me wishes it had been though. I watch my parents and I wonder if a love like that can happen to anyone. Most of the time, it ends up disappointing you"

"It's love, Smallville. Anything you do for love is a risk whether it be romantic love, family love – heck, even corporate love if you can believe it"

The more I talk to her, the more the nervous knot in my stomach releases itself. I feel like a whole other person around her. Wait, no, I'm still the same person, but I'm a lot more. She makes me feel safe, like I can be whoever I want to be and not feel guilty about it. I wonder how she does that.

"Here we are"

She looks up and notices two beautiful horses attached to a white carriage and a man with a top hat at the helm. She raises her eyebrows and looks at me seemingly impressed.

"Smooth moves, Smallville"

I shrug. "Ah, it was nothing"

We both laugh, and then I lead her in first. I already knew she was too independent to let me help but I did anyway and I was equally surprised that she put down her tough girl act to allow me to help her.

Underneath the moonlight, she looked ethereal.

We sit and sights see the rest of the way, talking about anything that comes to mind.

"What's your favorite kind of painting?" She asks me.

"Impressionistic," I answered. "You?"

"Abstract. Favorite movie?"

My hands clasps together. "This is an easy one. To Kill a Mockingbird"

"The movie?" her eyes go wide in disbelief.

"Yeah. What's wrong with it?"

"I prefer the 1960 novel"

"Well, it's based on the novel"

"Did the movie win a Pulitzer?"

"No"

"See my point"

I throw her a taunt look. "The plot is pretty much the same thing"

"I prefer the novelization than any movie. Except Lord of the Rings. Man, that movie pissed me off"

I laugh. "Why?"

"Because it's the one series I refuse to read and my date didn't warn me about the ending. Suffice to say, I wasn't in a very good mood when Frodo and Sam suddenly faded into black and I had to wait a year to see what happened"

I'm so amused by this. "You could have picked up the book and read it from there – "

"And ruin my Hobbit-Elf experience. I think not"

About half an hour later, we were nearing our destination and a take out a blindfold. Lois looks at me teasingly.

"If you wanted to take advantage of me, Smallville, all you had to do was ask"

I blush at the remark before encircling the blindfold around her eyes.

"Okay, I can play this your way," she says.

"Let me lead you," I whisper by her ear, the heat emanating between our bodies colliding. I'm a bit overwhelmed by it.

Even off her guard, she had to give off a smirk. "Be gentle with me, it's my first time," she says playfully. She made me feel things I didn't realize were even possible.

Ten minutes later I remove the blindfold. Lois remained silent. I couldn't tell whether she was surprised, shocks or completely horrified. I've planned this for days. On the roof of the world renowned Daily Planet, I had set up a table for two with food, wine and music. I even managed to put lights all around like it was Christmas time.

"What do you think?"

She remained silent a little longer before responding. She faced me, her eyes glistening. "I didn't expect – It's amazing Clark. You didn't have to go through all this trouble"

I shake my head proving the contrary. "It was no trouble at all – I liked doing it – For you, I mean. Even if things – didn't work out between us I wanted this night to mean something"

"I don't know what to say"

"Say you'll dance with me." I walk up to the radio and press play. Smooth Jazz begins playing. I hold out my hand for her to take.

And she does.

Moving into my embrace, I put one arm around her waist as the other I held to my heart. And we swayed.

Slowly. 

Softly.

Perfectly.

"You can dance," she says and I smile.

"I've been taking lessons"

She looks at me, twice as impressed as she already was. "You're a neverending surprise, Smallville"

"So are you"

At the top floor of LuthorCorp, with a glass of scotch in one hand and binoculor's in the other, Lex Luthor looked out and watch his best friend dance in the arms of his growing enemy. He gulped the entire glass down before throwing it across the room, it shattered upon impact.

"Why did it have to be you"

**To be continued...**


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Notes**: I'm sorry to give you guys a bulk update of 22 chapters at once only to discover that it's still an on-going story. This story was first conceived at FD2C. Every single one of my Smallville Lois & Clark stories is conceived there first.

_Without further ado…_

"I had the greatest time last night!" I exclaimed in front of my best friend. "Nothing I imagined compares to the real thing." I literally felt like I was on cloud nine. This must be what being in love feels like, and it's the greatest feeling in the world.

Chloe laughs at me.

"I'm glad you're happy Clark. It's about time. You've been trying to get her attention for over a year now"

"I hope I don't screw things up"

Chloe raised an eyebrow towards me. "What makes you think you'll mess up?"

I shrug. "I don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to relationships – I can't help it if I'm nervous."

"You'll be fine"

"You're right. I will be." A sudden idea sprung to my mind and as the wheels turn in my head, I urge Chloe to follow me. "Come on, I need your help"

"Help with what?" She asks in a monotonous voice.

_In the Middle of Nowhere_

"Okay. Whoa. Let's not do that again." Chloe races pass me and threw up in a pile of bush. I shudder in response. "Sorry," I say apologetically. "I've never carried anyone running that long before"

She throws up again and I wince.

"I'll slow down next time." That didn't seem to lessen her majorly disturbed stomach contents.

"So, what was it you wanted me to help you with?" she asks tirelessly, sinking further into the ground sitting to an Indian position. It calmed her a bit.

"I – I want to fly," I declare.

Her eyes go wide.

"Fly?"

I nod.

She shook her head. "Why?"

Remembering the previous night's conversation with Lois, I say, "Because Lois likes to fly"

"And you figured since you can 'eventually' fly you thought…" Chloe waited for my response. She has a point, I haven't really thought that far ahead, I just wanted to make this flying thing work so when I'm ready, I can share it with her.

"Now's a good a time as any – I've delayed it long enough"

"You're just trying to impress her"

"Is that bad?"

"No. It's sweet. But Clark, Lois likes you just the way you are"

"You mean, I shouldn't tell her what I am?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is, alien or not, Lois will accept you regardless"

"How are you so sure?"

"What do you feel, Clark?"

"I trust her, Chloe"

"Good. I do too but don't you think you're rushing into this. Get to know her more – test the waters – enjoy being around her before hitting her with the whole truth"

"I haven't lied to her"

"And that's – " She paused, looking surprised. "Really?"

"She's never asked so I never had to"

"You are so whipped"

_Lex Mansion_

"How's your date last night?" Lex asked Lois in a tone bordering on annoyance.

Lois watched him idly pour one glass of scotch after another. She knew there would be a high probability that her possibly dating Clark would raise problems between her and Lex, but she really didn't think he should be up in arms over it.

She crossed her arms. "A little overreacting, aren't we?"

He gulped a good quarter of a glass before responding.

"What you do in your personal time is none of my business," he says with detached emotion. Lois easily saw through it and knew he was past raging inside with the idea of his former friend dating her.

"You got that right," she responds, not allowing him to take the last words.

"What do you want me to say?" He spun around her angrily. "You're seeing Clark. You've been seeing him a lot lately, and I'm not going to stand by and pretend it doesn't hurt"

Lois's face softens. "He's not replacing you, you know"

"It doesn't feel that way." Lex swallows the glass empty. "I saw you two. Last night. On top of the Daily Planet." He paused, not wanting to say what he was about to say but Lois waited patiently. "You looked… happy." He turned away from her, ashamed of his next words. "And I hated it. What kind of friend am I?"

"The kind of friend good enough to ask the question"

Her words lifted him up a little but not enough to squelch the feeling of failure inside.

"I want to be alone," he requests softly.

Lois nods slowly and quietly leaves leaving Lex Luthor alone once again.

**To be continued…**


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Notes**: This chapter is all Lois Lane for those who inquired about getting into her mind more. You know so much of what's going on in Clark's mind, I agree that it's time that Lois got the same treatment. I will probably not go this route again because this story is a Clark-story. Harish, thanks for the review. Lex is a great character and I hope I do him some justice here. Joseph B… always a pleasure to hear from you. I'm aware that severing the relational ties between Lois and Chloe is going to take a little getting use to, thanks for keep up with me. Hopemaster, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 24**

_Lois Lane's POV_

I exited the mansion with this lingering feeling of dread. It was never my intention to hurt Lex, even if in fact it isn't my fault to begin with. Lex has always been like this: protective, caring and a little bit obsessive. I practically grew up with him, so I knew all this and it still doesn't make me love him any less.

And that's the thing that separates us.

He loves me, I know, but I always got the sense that he wanted more from me.

I love him. There's no question about it, but it wasn't romantic love, its brotherly love.

I love him like a brother. I always have. No matter how much we've changed physically and intellectually, I couldn't see him as anything but as a brother. I knew all along that getting involved with Clark would put a strain in our friendship, and I held back as much as I could.

Not anymore. I agreed to his date and I enjoyed myself immensely, and for a night, I forgot about the world and bathed myself in his attention.

His embrace.

Reaching my car, I hop in and drive back to Metropolis. Lex has on numerous times offered to fly me via-helicopter, and as much as I enjoy flying, I like the feel of the gas beneath my feet when I push to accelerate. I like to be in control of my life, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I also like my independence, and that two has always put a strain in my friendship with Lex Luthor.

_Four Hours Later_

"Hey Chloe," I greeted her with enthusiasm. Sullivan's quite the character, and I find myself endeared by her personality and awe-struck outlook on life. You talk with her about anything that involves journalism and her eyes widens in excitement.

"Hey, Lois," she says, and I note that there was some teasing in her tone. Naturally, I roll my eyes.

"I can already see this conversation coming." That's when I notice the waste basket on the floor. I lean down but then immediately yanked my face from the god awful smelling contents inside. "What the hell is that?"

"Oh." Chloe looked like she committed some heinous crime, and judging by the waste in the basket, I can almost understand.

Almost.

I raise my eyebrows and waited, practically impatiently for her to answer. "Are you okay, Chlo?"

"Yeah. Um… I just got a little stomach ache earlier. Must've been something I ate"

If there was anything that I learned about being a journalist, its reading people's body language, and I could already see the wheels falling off in Chloe's head. Sullivan's not a very good liar. She hasn't been for months. I figured that it was something personal so I didn't press, but it is moments like these that make me question otherwise.

"Are you pregnant?"

Chloe looked like she coughed up a lung. "NO!" she denies vigorously, her reaction makes me laugh.

"Okay. Then what's wrong?"

She didn't answer my question and went back to the part where I thought she was pregnant.

"What made you think I was pregnant?"

I shrugged. Honestly, it was just a possibility that occurred to me.

"Well… I'm not okay"

I nod but she continued.

"And unless this was an immaculate conception, I'm totally NOT pregnant"

"O…kay," I repeated, she was getting a bit tetchy. Really, I shouldn't get my head blown off; I was simply asking if she's okay. "Are you sure it's nothing else bothering you? I could be a pretty good sounding board to sound off to"

Her face immediately looks guilty and my face softens as it did so. We've really become close, Sullivan and I, she's becoming a sister to me. Hmm… Lex is like a brother and Chloe is like a sister, I'm beginning to wonder if I need to see a shrink or something.

If I don't feel like I'm having lack of family issues, is it possible to have family issues? That's so complicated; I remove it quickly from my thoughts.

"How's your day?"

I could see her trying to keep the grin from showing on her face but I knew better.

"What did Clark tell you?"

She beamed and grabbed me by the hands and tugged me across the room to sit down on the couch. Sullivan picked up her knees and waited for me to share the 411 on the previous night's event.

"Moonlight walk. The carriage ride. Rooftop dinner at the Daily Planet." Sullivan was totally all into this. "I didn't even know Clark had it in him to be _that _romantic. He's always so conservative."

"He definitely surprised me." Did I just admit that out loud? Judging by the look on Sullivan's face, I did. Dammit. There goes by tough act.

"So… what'd you think, besides being surprised I mean?" Chloe waited for my answer, my impending words leading her entire body off her position, she looked like she was going to fall. What did she eat at lunch today?

"It's…" I began but not really knowing what to say at this particular juncture. "It's not what I expected from him. He was very romantic"

"And…" Chloe encouraged.

"And…" I repeat. "I had a great time"

She frowned, apparently my answer lacked imagination.

"That's all?"

"I'm never one to kiss and tell." Foot in mouth.

Her eyes went wide. "There was KISSING?"

"NO!" I got up off the couch and paced a couple of times before facing her again. "Nothing happened. We walked. We talked. There was some occasional teasing, and then we danced. But that's it. Nothing else happened"

"Why not?" I could almost swear that Chloe looked at me like I was crazy or something. Since when did a date with Clark 'Smallville' Kent become the talk of the town?

"What exactly did Clark tell you?"

Busted. Chloe hesitated giving an answer and I cross my arms waiting for her to do so. I could tell she was holding back on something, I just don't know what it is.

"He really had a great time last night," she says and I go soft at the response.

"I did too," I admit sincerely.

"Will there be another?" Chloe fished and I grin.

"Perhaps," I reply vaguely.

"Are you seeing him tonight?"

"If you mean if I plan on bothering him, I definitely am"

Chloe laughed and I had to laugh along with her too. These are the other moments I like. Light. Fun. Nothing was dramatic. I'm just a girl remembering the first night I truly enjoyed being on a date with a guy I happen to like.

_Nighttime in Metropolis_

"Clark." I was surprised to see him at my door.

"I called your cell, but it was off. We haven't spoken all day and I'm wondering if… last night was too fast, wasn't it?" his voice was sad, hurt even. I didn't mean to shut him out but after I spent sometime with Chloe, Lex came by in a fit of anger. I spent the entire evening just helping him calm down.

I turned my phone off in the process, knowing the likelihood that Clark was going to call. And I knew what he would think when I did, and it pains me that I inadvertently misled him.

"I'm sorry"

"I guess I was pushing too hard"

"You weren't," I assured, closing our distance. I looked into his eyes and it's like I could see my future. "There's been a… complication"

He furrowed his brow, not fully understanding so I elaborate.

"I was just at Luthor Corp." His face becomes unreadable and I immediately knew what he was doing. I would know; I've been guilty of doing the very same thing too. "Lex has been… drinking lately…" I couldn't go any further. Whatever is happening between Clark and me, I still respect Lex's privacy.

Clark's face grows worrisome. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "He didn't hurt me, if that's what you're wondering"

"It wasn't," he says wholeheartedly and I believe him.

I sit myself down on the steps and he follows right besides me. We've done this plenty of times before in addition to our late night scramble visits and movie marathons. We'd sit around and talk for hours on ends. I think it was these moments that made me fall for him, but I'm not ready to admit to that verbally just yet.

I don't know how long we sat there, but he didn't push for answers, and I appreciated it greatly. I start to shiver and I don't want to pretend I'm strong and waiver the cold. He gently pulled me into his arms and held me, my face lay on his chest and the world went right somehow.

**To be continued…**


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Notes**: I'm back to Clark's POV. Thanks for the reviews. If you've read my other story titled _Legacy_, it's on hold for a moment. That's really kicking my proverbial back side. Seriously. I usually don't have this hard of a time completing something I start, sure I'd have a momentary lapse of creative thinking, but I finish it when I'm that far ahead, but it's becoming trickier than I expected. Hang tight for those waiting on it.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 25**

I stayed with Lois until she fell asleep in my arms. I carried her to her dorm room, gently placing her into bed. I couldn't keep my eyes away from her because she was so beautiful. Peaceful, like the world is safe as long as I can see her in front of me.

Today was a confusing day for. I was so sure that we had a great time the other night but when she didn't return my phone calls, I had thought I blew it somehow. Little did I know, she really wasn't ignoring me.

That's when guilt crept up at me.

Should I regret wanting her when it's clear that being with her is making Lex miserable?

It doesn't take a genius to realize what's been going on with him. Ever since Lois came into my life, Lex has been distant.

Uncaring.

Jealous.

I knew all this but I still went after her. I don't just like Lois Lane, I'm in love with her and for the first time in my life, I'm not sorry about it. I want to discover if what I feel is real. I don't want to love for the sake of not being alone. I want to know love for what it is.

Pure.

Real.

Unwavering.

And I'm willing to discover it with her if she let me. In my heart, I know she wants to try and that's more than enough for me.

I bid her goodnight, my voice in a whisper. I tuck several lose strands of hair behind her ear before leaning down to place a soft kiss to her forehead. Reluctantly, I leave her to sleep. I didn't want to leave but I'm still unsure if it's right to stay.

_Early Morning_

Lois awakens from her slumber and curiously notes how she got into bed. Recollecting the night previous, she recalls being with Clark and that was the last thing she remembered.

She stepped out of bed and noticed she was still in her clothes from the night before.

"Hmm," said Lois, her lips curling to a smile. It was easy to figure out that Clark had probably tucked her into bed.

Letting out a silent thank you to him even though he wasn't there, she stepped out of her room when she caught the sight of Clark sleeping. In another time, if she and Clark had met in different circumstances and he was just some normal-Joe, she'd have caught a fit. Not today though.

He looked peaceful, but she can imagine how achingly strained his neck is going to be once she wakes him up. Clark was sitting upright with his arms crossed and his head bobbed forward, his neck the only thing connecting his head to his body.

Lois chuckled at the sight. Although he looked peaceful, that must be the most uncomfortable sleeping position known to man.

She walked forward and the floor boards creaked. Clark's head snapped upward and he let out a little groan when he did so.

"Morning," said Lois.

Blinking away his blurry vision, he sees Lois in his sight.

"Hi," said Clark.

_Same Morning_

When I woke up this morning, I immediately expected to be back at Smallville. I'm used to that setting so imagine my surprise when I saw Lois staring back at me when I woke up. I'd forgotten that I took Lois to bed and then almost left, but I had this desire to keep watch and make sure she remained safe.

I should've known I'd fall asleep in the process.

I'm glad I didn't scare her though. She looked more amused than upset that I took it upon myself to cozy up in the corner of her couch. I'm internally glad she didn't have a roommate. That would've been weird.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"It was good, thanks. You know, I have some spare blankets, anytime you want to greet my couch with some shut eye, fill free to spread out"

I was surprised by the offer. Relieved too, but most definitely surprised.

"I don't want to impose… or presume…" I cast my eyes shyly to the floor, muttering incoherently. "Nevermind"

She chuckles and I take that as a good sign that I'm not a complete doofus.

"Do you have any plans today?" I ask hopeful.

"Actually, I'm gonna see Lex this morning. I sort of left him in disarray and I want head back and make sure he didn't do anything too tragic"

I should be disappointed, but one thing I like about Lois is her devotion to her friend. I know where her feelings lie with me now, at least I know a good portion of where her feelings lie with me and I also know that she cherishes her friendship just as much and I won't take that from her.

"I understand"

I meant it too and I could tell she believed me.

"I'll see you later, though, right?"

I smile. "Definitely"

_LuthorCorp_

Lois exited the elevators on the way to the top floor. She hoped he didn't break anything or do anything rash after she left. When you couple anger and pain with alcohol, the results become unpredictable. It always does when you're Alexander Luthor, son to business tycoon Lionel Luthor.

She walked into his office with confidence, but not arrogance. Lois truly values their friendship but she refuses to let that dictate her life.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lex.

Lois sees him where she left him, on his expensive black leather sofa with an ice-pack on his forehead. He fell and hit his head before getting him to rest on the couch after the affects of the alcohol made him sleepy.

"What's it look like… I'm trying to prove to you that I'm here for you, regardless of what happens between me and Clark. Why can't you see that it isn't a choice for me?"

"Of course it isn't a choice, you chose already," said Lex stubbornly.

"That's completely unreasonable and not to mention incredibly selfish of you to think that," said Lois, her stance on the subject is just as stubborn as Lex's. "I will always be here for you. You're my best friend Lex, that doesn't change. Why don't you believe me?"

"Because!" said Lex angrily. "It's Clark Kent"

Lois is partially confused. Does Lex feel so inferior to Clark that he believes he loses everything to him.

"He has everything I've ever wanted!"

That admission says it all and Lois's angry façade fades to show sympathy and maybe even a little pity.

"You either be the change you want or let other people change you," said Lois simply. "It's your choice. I can't do it for you"

Lex remains silent, he hated how brutally right she can be sometimes.

"I'm going back to campus. I'm gonna hang out with Chloe and I'm going to spend time with Clark. You may think you've lost a friend today but I _meant_ what I said. I will _always_ be here for you when you need me. That'll never change. Our _friendship_ will never change, not to me"

**To be continued…**


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Notes**: Thanks everybody. It brings butterflies to my stomach knowing you like this.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 26**

_One Month Later_

In my dorm room, I sat in at the end of the couch with Lois's head on my lap as we both study hard for our respective classes. The weeks flew by a little too quickly but I was enjoying it all the same. My relationship with Lois is stronger than ever.

"How's political science going?"

Lois scoffs and I chuckle. I could tell from a mile away how much she's absolutely loathing the course.

"I can't stand the propaganda," she divulges, looking ready to toss the text book out the open window. Her eyes glance up towards me and I look down ready to throw my books as well and take advantage of her, but then again we'll end up not getting any work done and we'll be behind more than we have to be.

"What would you fight for?" she asked me with random curiosity.

"I'd fight for truth, justice…" I pause for a moment thinking and then add, "And the American way, I guess"

Lois raised her eyebrows and mildly laughs at the idea.

"Oh god. You'd be going against ever electoral candidate in the country," she smiles. "Good luck with that"

My mind entertains the possibility. I have all these powers, and so far, I've only ever used them to help myself and the people around me. I've never really taken the time to really think over the practicability that I could use my gifts to help people, and I don't mean just Smallville. I've been visualizing the prospect of helping the world in some way a while now.

"Can I ask you something, Lois?"

"Like what?

We've been dating for officially a month now and I've intentionally put my Kryptonian lineage back-burned in my mind. I didn't want to get ahead of myself and start confessing all at once before either of us was ready. It was now or never.

"What's your opinion on aliens?"

I can tell she was a bit thrown by the question. I can very well imagine that it's not exactly dinner table talk material.

"You mean the extraterrestrial kind or foreign immigrants?"

"The former"

I anxiously wait and don't realize I'm holding my breath as I did so. After a brief silence, she answers.

"Never really thought about it," Lois admits. "I guess as long as they don't go the route of 'Independence Day,' I'm pro-E.T."

"Really?"

"I don't go out of my way to judge what I don't understand. To be honest, the question reminds me of Lex. When people first look at him, they hear his last name and the first thing that comes to mind is that he's this spoiled little rich boy. Then they see that he's bald and they wonder what's wrong with him. He hasn't gotten it easy and I'm not making excuses for him, but he's still a person to me. It'd be inhuman to hold those things against him"

I stare at her once again, stunned beyond comprehension. Most answers I received were either 'I think it's pretty cool' or 'I'd be freaked out.' Lois was honest with her answer without being judgmental and that left a positive feeling inside me. What we have going on right now is more than I could ever hope for.

"Wow"

Lois looks at me oddly.

"Huh?"

"I _really_ like your answer"

She smiled at me and didn't press any further. Lois and I do this a lot. Ask one another random questions and at the same time, we discover more about ourselves than we first imagined. It's gratifying for me to know that being with Lois gives me such peace of mind.

"How is Lex?" I add and a part of me is curious how my former friend is holding up. We may have our differences but I can never think ill-will of him.

"His walls of ice are chipping away as fast as I can swing the ax," she quipped. "He's good," she says a little more seriously. "Less drinking and more talking. It's a big step for him to admit that he's taking things far more seriously than he has to"

"You're an amazing friend to have." She's an amazing girlfriend too.

Lois shrugged the compliment off.

"How about you? Planning on reconciling with him any time soon?" Lois looks at me teasingly. "I feel like a third wheel"

I grin at the remark.

"He makes it hard just to be friends with him. I don't know how you do it Lois, but he and I can never see eye to eye"

"Of course you can – its called compromise"

"It doesn't apply"

"According to the male population who doesn't like to admit defeat. I swear, it's like driving lost in a different town. Instead of stopping for directions, men just keep driving and driving and driving… "

"Okay, Lois. Men are pig-headed, I got it"

She smiles victoriously.

With her head still on my lap, I sink my head low to kiss her lightly on the lips. I feel her hand graze my cheeks. Then she sweeps it through my hair and continues to return my kiss with equal attention. I lose myself every time when I'm with her like this.

"You drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?" I say, catching my breath.

"I hadn't really noticed." Her voice was filled with light mischief. She pulled my head back down, crashing my lips against hers a little longer before breaking away again. I didn't want it to end.

"I should get going," she says, giving me another kiss on the lips. "I have finals in the morning"

I hide my disappointment. I wanted to spend more time with her like this before real world beckons. It beckoned too soon.

I have a confession to make. I've been having thoughts lately. Actually, they're more like dreams; we can even go as far as saying they were fantasies. In all honesty, what I've got going with Lois is the first real relationship I've ever been in. Being with her is as new to me as gaining a new power. We've never talked about sex but it's grazed my thoughts more times than it should have.

My parents have been married for over twenty years, and they've always taught me the importance of giving that part of myself to someone. I've had a few close calls and for the most part, shamefully, they were random acts of hormones getting the better of me. I don't want it to be like that with Lois. I want to be able to give myself to her and know that's its real and not a dream that doesn't get fulfilled.

I'm in love with her and its becoming abundantly clear to me that I love her too. I feel it all around me, like an invisible field of energy.

I see it when I look at her.

I feel it when I touch her.

I hear it when she speaks.

If this is how it really feels to be in love – to love a person – I wish to God that it never ends.

**To be continued…**


	27. Chapter 27

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 27**

I approach Dorian Hall trying to find Lois. If we don't see each other during the day, we normally talk before the night ended but tonight was different. She didn't answer any of my calls and Chloe hasn't seen her since the middle of afternoon. As her boyfriend in the matter I have every right to be worried.

I checked her dorm and she wasn't there. I super speeded around the campus in hopes that she was working overtime in one of her classes, that was the only thing I could think of that wasn't along the lines of 'danger' or 'kidnap.'

As I walk into one of her many classrooms, I spot her typing away in her lap tap, her professor's desk substituting as her own. She looked intense in her work and I sigh in relief that she was safe.

"Lois," I utter softly and Lois jumps from her seat, startled.

Maybe I should've knocked.

With a hand to her chest, she leveled her breathing. "Smallville, what are you doing here?" she asks me.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

Stupid question.

She shook her head and didn't make me feel like I was intruding, even though, technically I was. I still appreciated it.

"Professor Lombard has us doing a humanitarian piece on some guy from twenty years ago. It's kicking my ass more than I care to admit," she reveals, grabbing a bottle of water from her bag and drinking it up to the half. I notice that several bottles in a nearby trash can have been used up.

Lois must've been here for hours.

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to feel carpal tunnel syndrome creeping about," she says in her usual playful manner, but I can see that she was very tired.

I slowly make my way to her, positioning myself behind her head. My hands make their way behind and below her ears, and I can feel the lower edge of the skull where there's a large band of neck muscles that meet the cranium. I stroke the muscles smoothly and Lois soon relinquishes her control to me.

"That feels good"

I smile, glad to see her relaxing. My hands then slide down a little further. I knead the two muscles on either side of her neck next to her shoulders, starting with very little pressure and then squeezing harder. Her head falls back and then falls forward, soft moans came out of her as I continued to massage the tension from her neck.

"You do realize you're turning me on, right?"

I grin, she always has a way of making the most everyday actions seem original and exciting. "If I knew this is all it took, I would've done it a long time ago," I whisper right by her ear.

"If you keep teasing me with that soft voice of yours we're liable not to leave this room with our innocence in tact"

I blush heavily with the thoughts that suddenly flew through my mind as she said those words. Not to mention relieved that Lois wasn't facing me.

"I can feel you blushing behind me, Kent"

And I can see her smirking even though she wasn't facing me either.

The silence that followed became deafening and my hands all of the sudden lost its confidence. Lois caught on and asked me what was wrong before I could regain my composure.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No. No you didn't." I let my hands go and I wish to God I didn't. She had an uncanny way of making me feel like I could walk on water one minute, then sink right to the bottom the next.

I quickly make my way to one of the desks situated in the front row of the class. They were alone in a classroom in the middle of the night where the only possibility of an interruption is the janitor mopping the floor a wing away. I don't even know where to begin to have this conversation.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No," I reply a little to quickly. I change my mind. "Yes"

Lois stands up from her seat and approaches me, slowly, softly, practically gracefully. As if she knew that I'm wary about what I'm going to say and she's trying to make me as comfortable as possible. It makes me fall for her even further.

"You're a virgin, aren't you?"

I breathe a lungful of air and I wonder where exactly she gets her intuition.

"Am I really that obvious?"

She throws me a look of understanding.

"It's okay, you know. It's nothing to be embarrassed about"

"Easy for you to say"

"Oh yeah," she retorts, grinning at me.

"I didn't mean it like that"

"So what did you mean?"

I can't believe she's doing this to me even though she knows exactly what I meant. Okay, maybe not entirely, I actually like that she's making me say it out loud, it seems easier to bear than just keeping it to myself.

"I – I mean that – you're enjoying this, aren't you?"

She smiles. "Every minute of it"

"That's just great"

"Come on, seriously. You want to know, and that's fine. I'll tell you if you just ask. I can be good at reading people sometimes but I'm no mind reader. You're gonna have to help me out"

"It could be a little personal"

"Just ask me if I've had sex before," she says forwardly and I eye her with a 'come on' look.

She shrugs.

"What? You were taking so long. Don't tell me that isn't what you wanted to ask"

I sigh, she had a point.

"So…"

"So…" I finally make myself say. "Have you ever… had sex before?"

She smiled, joining me by sitting down in the desk that was right next to mine. I can tell from the way she looked at me, she was taking it as seriously as I was.

"Yes"

I know I don't have a right to be jealous, it's probably someone I'd never met. Heck, it could be Johnny, in which case I would be incredibly jealous, but instead I hold the urge to break anything.

"Well, the silence is killing me…"

I look into her eyes and know that she's sincere in her honesty.

"What's it like?"

"You serious?"

"Only if you want to answer"

She laughs and it makes me chuckle. I wait in almost comfortable silence for her to answer.

"It depends. Sex is sex but if you've got high expectations for it, you'll most likely end up disappointed"

"Was it like that for you?"

"My first… unfortunately"

"I'm sorry"

"Why?"

"Because you deserve better"

She lifted her eyebrows, one part amused another part amazed.

"You are unlike any man I've ever met, Clark Kent"

"I certainly hope so," I say, knowing full well his was the only biological kind left in this universe.

"Cocky, too"

I take her lips with my own.

"Well, I get that from you," I say, kissing her again.

"Let's get out of here"

I look at her, completely unprepared. Although a part of me is cautious, another part of me wanted to submit. I want to be with her. In any way I can.

"I – "

**To be continued…**


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Notes**: I'm sorry for the short chapters. The updates are sectioned off and unless I want to ramble incoherently, this is all I've got. I do tend to update multiple times but I'm balancing this story with two other stories (one Legacy that is terribly ignored). And "An Unoriginal Life" is taking on a life of its own. I will try to get more updates in and hopefully, this story will come to a close.

**Metamorphosis - Chapter 28**

_Lois's Place_

I press my lips against hers, our bodies in heat. We stumble into her room, my senses completely lost to me. I want to be near her too, and I want to show her everything I'm feeling.

I feel her fingers undo the buttons on my shirt. My hands, as if having a mind of its own, travel to the bottom edge of her blouse ready to lift it when I realized what I was doing.

I jump away, gasping for breath and doing my best not to break apart in front of her. This is not how I planned us to be, when there are things about me she didn't know about. That she deserved to know about before we went any further.

"I'm sorry"

"What's wrong?"

If she only knew just how wrong this could've been for us… when I let her go, I felt lost, empty almost. The flame in me died out so suddenly when I moved away from her warm embrace.

"It's just… I don't… I don't know how to do this right"

She smiled but not in the way that she was teasing or mocking me.

She put a hand to my cheek, stroking it lightly.

"You were doing fine just a second ago"

I can feel the warmth all over again and I try with every ounce of my being to resist. I can't go through with this, not when there is something important separating us. I've gone long enough to ignore that other part of me. That part of me that I didn't have to try so hard to hide in front of her.

I inhaled deeply before releasing myself once again from her touch. It felt like a scar was left on my skin and I wonder if I've really fallen that deeply in love with her that it's impossible to be stay away.

I move pass her, my eyes focused on the floor. I pick up my shirt and put it back on. I'm afraid of looking into her eyes and see disappointment.

"Hey," she says softly, lifting my chin up so I could face her. I didn't even realize she had moved in front of me till she did so. "Don't be embarrassed. You're not ready, I get that," she added, her voice filled with understanding.

I try to look away but I find myself unable to.

"I want to give myself to you," I find the courage to admit to her and she looks at me with small surprise. "I want to make love to you."

The words were new but it sounded so right for me to say.

"There's just something that I need to deal with… that I need to figure out on my own before…"

"Before what?"

I pull her back in and kiss her with intensity.

With our foreheads touching, I say, "Before I tell you everything"

She looked momentarily confused but didn't press me any further to elaborate. She knew when I was ready; I wasn't going to hold back on anything.

_Kent Farm_

I super speed back to the farm to clear my head. I did some farm chores while I was at it, too. I keep thinking about what just happened between me and Lois back in Metropolis. A part of me couldn't believe that I gave into our passion so easily, but another part of me was happy that I did so.

"Son, is that you?"

I turn to see my father come out of the house with a flashlight in one hand and a bat on the other. I chuckled when I realized he thought I was burglar.

"Hi dad"

My dad lowered the bat and I chuckled further.

"What are you doing here, son?" He looks at his watch. "It's past midnight"

"I'm sorry for waking you, I just needed to think"

"Couldn't you do that in a few more hours?"

I try to hold my laughter but I knew my dad understood there was a reason I showed up in the middle of the night doing chores that didn't need to be done till later that day.

"I've had a lot on my mind"

Dad's face immediately softens and puts a comforting hand on my back. He leads me to the house.

"I've wanted a cup of hot chocolate at one in the morning. Why don't you join me?"

I smile gratefully; glad my dad knew I needed to talk.

_Kent Kitchen_

We settled into the kitchen. My dad grabs the pan and I hand him the milk to pour it into. This was a silent ritual between parent and child that we have created for ourselves over the years. I'm glad some things don't change while everything else does.

"What's bothering you, son?"

"It's about a girl"

Dad nods knowingly. "Let me guess… Lois?"

"That'll be the one," I nod in agreement.

"Are you two okay?"

"Yeah," I say a little too ecstatically. "Everything's great"

"But…" Parent's always knows best.

"But there's still that other me that she doesn't know about," I say almost reluctantly. The secret of my lineage has always been a sensitive subject in the household.

"You know how I feel about that." And with that, he meant that he doesn't feel comfortable with me telling people that I'm an alien. Telling Chloe was hard enough for him as it is because she was always so ambitious about finding the truth in everything, I'm glad that everything has worked now.

"I know, I just feel…" I sigh in confusion. "Dad, she's my girlfriend. She deserves to know before…" I stop myself from going any further. That's one subject I'm not ready to breach with my father yet.

"Before what, son?" He already caught on. "Before having sex with her?" he further elaborated.

He didn't have to be so forward about it.

"No!" I nearly shouted. I lower my voice. "I mean, that's a part of it, but also there's everything else. I'm in love with her dad; she deserves to know the truth"

"How do you know she'll accept you?" I knew he wasn't trying to insult Lois; he was just being my dad and worrying about me like he has my entire life.

"I don't. Not really, but I have to believe that maybe she'll accept me. I'll never know unless I tell her"

My dad sighs inwardly, and I can tell that he's having some heavy duty thinking going on in his mind.

"Something happened recently, didn't it?"

How can parents tell these things? "Umm… sort of"

"Were you careful?"

"Whoa!" I hold my arms out in front of me, almost willing him to take his words back. "Nothing happened, dad. We almost… but… we didn't go through with it." This is such an awkward conversation to be having with dad. It doesn't matter how many times the subject has been talked about; it never fails to embarrass me.

"That's good"

"I couldn't… not when there are so many things she didn't know about me. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself if I made her do something that she never would've done if she knew first"

"Clark, I know these last few months have been new for you"

"There more than new, they've been amazing"

"Whatever your decision, your mother and I will be right here supporting you"

I look at my dad and for the first time, I don't just see my father anymore. I see my best friend. If I could prevent my tears from falling I would've done so but I didn't. I want him to know that his support means the world to me.

"Thanks dad"

"I love you son, that's never gonna change"

"I know"

**To be continued…**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Notes**: La la la la la. Here comes another update. I'm rather proud of this chapter. I hope you all like it too. Also, I have never intended for Clark to ever sleep with Lois before she knew the truth. His actions leading up to that moment the previous chapter was foreshadowing to his future choices.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 29**

The following morning I headed back to Metropolis and purposely ran into Chloe in hopes to alleviate the nervousness plaguing my stomach. There's so many things to talk about, I'm afraid of saying the wrong thing or making the wrong move.

"Chloe," I call out to her across the courtyard.

"What's up Clark?"

"I need some advice"

A bright smile crossed her face and her body immediately jumped with excitement. I could tell she knew what I was going to ask, I've been dwelling over it long before I even went to my dad's.

"Carry on…"

"I'm gonna tell Lois"

Chloe's eyes go wide, not out of fear or hesitancy, but relief.

"Thank God," she sighed and I throw her a look of bewilderment. "Come on, Clark. I was getting tired of giving out lame excuses as to why you always suddenly disappear. At least this way, we've got Lois to cover your back. She's a lot better on the spot than I am… I think"

I'm surprised. "Wait, you think she'll accept me?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Even though I know things are becoming serious between us, and I know without a doubt that she'll accept me for who I am – there's still that small insecure part of me that thinks she'll stop feeling that way about me"

"You're thinking way too much into this, Clark"

"I know, but it's validated." I sit myself down near a tree as Chloe follows. "How do I tell her, do I say 'hey, by the way, F.Y.I. I'm an alien' or do I just start from the beginning?"

Chloe raised her eyebrows, shaking her head dutifully.

"You can always try the route you took with me"

"It's a completely different situation, Chloe"

"True, but you're still trying to get the same point across. So why not give it a try"

"Everything about us has been amazing, I'm just – I guess I'm just afraid it won't be the same." I take a deep breath before continuing. "What I do know for sure, I'm going to tell her whether either of us are ready or not"

I felt Chloe's hand pat me on the back.

"I'm proud of you Clark"

"Wow. The term 'serious conversation' is flowing out in waves from you two," Lois says out of the blue towards Chloe and I. She wore tight blue jeans with her trademark belt that if you look behind, it'll have an interesting saying that always makes me grin. Completing her ensemble was a yellow tank top with a jean jacket over it.

"Hey, Lois," Chloe greeted her and she sits between me and Chloe. Hugging her first before kissing me.

"How were morning finals?" I ask her.

She groaned in response, leaning back on my shoulder and I hold her tightly. It was gestures like these, it looks simple yet it meant the world to me. It's easy to fall for me to fall deeper in love with her.

Chloe on the other hand just laughs.

"It can't be that bad," said Chloe.

Lois shook her head signaling the contrary.

"You're like… one of his favorite students"

"Exactly!"

This time, I joined in on Chloe's laughter. Her phone suddenly rings and Chloe excuses herself, leaving me and Lois alone. She sat up and looked at me, and I'm always losing myself in her eyes.

"You okay?"

I nod, reaching out and lightly cupping her cheek with my hand.

"Everything's perfect." I kiss her and I don't want to let go.

We break apart and she slowly sweeps her hand through my hair. "You sure?" She always did know when something is bothering me and that what happened between us the previous night still lingered.

"There's a lot of – " I look up to see the last person I wanted to see. "Lex"

"Am I interrupting?"

Lex Luthor stood wearing his signature wardrobe: a fine-fitted suit, silk tie, a Rolex and what would probably be hand-made shoes from Spain. Have I mentioned that he's the very last person I wanted to see?

"No," I forced out.

"Do you have a minute Lois?"

Lois nodded and gave me a kiss on the lips before getting up. "I'll see you later," she whispers to my ear and I nod. I watch at her hand slips out of my own. She walks side by side Luthor as they walk further away from me. If I had been a junior in high school, I'd be eavesdropping on their conversation right about now.

I knew once again that nothing good would come from it. I have a lot on my mind and too many things to do and I can't jeopardize my relationship with Lois because I'm feeling incredibly jealous of the multi-millionaire.

No, I'm better than that.

I won't sink to his level. I got to believe that things between Lois and I will work out. I have to, if not, then any happiness I could hope for was just a fool's dream.

_Along the corridor's of Met-U_

"You're happy," Lex observed. When he approached Lois and Clark outside, she glowed and smiled without a single pain in the world. An image he rarely sees but always cherishes when he does.

Lois doesn't say anything. She didn't know how to respond to that.

They both walked slowly while talking, heading to nowhere in particular. He just wanted to talk.

"I haven't been the easiest friend lately, and I apologize"

"You're right. You haven't been the easiest friend lately"

"Tell me what you want; Lois and I'll give it to you"

"You're friendship is all I need"

"What does he have that I don't?" asks Lex a little too spitefully. "What could he possibly give you?"

"It's like you said… I'm happy… I'm happy with Clark, is that really so hard for you to accept?" She paused; exhausted by the same argument they've been having for months. "Dammit, Lex. You're better than this! I'm sick and tired of trying to justify my feelings for him just so you could feel better about yourself"

They find an empty classroom and continued their conversation there.

"What will it take, Lex? What will it take for you to accept that I'm with Clark?" asks Lois, her voice filled with anger.

"Break up with him," Lex says, but the words were too shocking that Lois didn't quite let it register.

"What?" Lois says with a shocked expression.

"Break up with him," said Lex a little louder and a lot more convincing. "If our friendship ever meant anything to you, let him go and let's go back to the way things were… without Clark Kent in our lives"

Lois couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her best friend was giving her an ultimatum. Friendship against happiness. How could there ever be a choice?

"You've got to be kidding"

"I'm not," said Lex seriously. He was set in his ways. "Me or Clark, Lois. What's it going to be?"

_Clark's Dorm Room_

Knock. Knock. It was raining hard outside when someone knocked at the door, and for a second I wonder who it could be this late in the evening. I got up to opened it and I'm surprised to see Lois there. She normally chips on my window and I let her in through there.

"Hey." I lean in to kiss her only to catch her cheek. Something was wrong, I could feel it. "You're dripping wet," I noticed, leading her in, grabbing a couple of towels for her to dry herself in. "You okay," I ask, rubbing her shoulders in hopes it'll keep her warm.

"I…"

I begin to worry; she's barely said anything since she got here.

"Lois, are you okay?"

"It's over," she says and it felt like my whole world falls.

_A few hours earlier_

"You're making me choose." As Lois comprehended what was happening, her initial disappointment turns seething with anger and betrayal. "You're MAKING me CHOOSE!"

Lois turns away from him, not able to look at him in the face. She calmed her breathing down. Her anger though, remained.

"It's the only way this is ever going to work," said Lex, as if the option had no repercussions whatsoever.

"I don't know you at all, do I?" she says her back still away from him. Her mind drifted back to all those childhood memories and growing pains they grew up with over the years. Is one guy all it took to tear it all down?

No, it wasn't.

"You know me better than most"

Lois finally turns around, looking him in the eyes and for the first time, neither of them knew who they were looking at.

"I really don't. A friend wouldn't make me choose. A friend would be supportive. A friend, even with our differences, would make an effort to respect each other's decisions."

"I can't be friends with you if you're with Clark"

"Oh right. Because he keeps secrets from you? That's the weakest excuse I've ever heard!"

"He's been lying to me since the day we met"

"He SAVED your life!"

"I've done everything I can to be his friend, but he still doesn't trust me!" Lex returned with equal vigor.

Disappointed, Lois looks at him, sadness engulfed in both their faces, and more so in hers. "Trust is earned, Lex. Not bought and paid for"

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"It mean's I've made my choice," she answers. "Goodbye Lex." And she leaves him.

Lex didn't storm out of the classroom, instead, he carried the anger and hate inside him until he let it out, flipping the teacher's desk over, its contents spilling over the floor. The last burning candle of light in his life burning out.

_Back in Clark's Dorm Room_

I sat and listened to Lois recall the events that took place after she left with Lex earlier today. My heart broke for her. Many years of friendship, gone. I can't help but feel responsible.

"I'm sorry"

She shook her head, showing me that it wasn't anything that I should apologize for.

"It's not your fault"

"Still – I feel like I could've done something more"

"The moment he asked me to choose, he forfeited our friendship. If it's anyone's fault, it's Lex for allowing his insecurities work his actions. He's not the friend I grew up with"

"He loves you, you know"

I want to be the supportive boyfriend, but I can't wrap my head around why Lex would be so cold as to risk the friendship he's built with Lois because of me. Does he hate me that much?

Lois remained skeptical. "But did he? Or does he love the idea of me? The one friend whose trust is unwavering? I can't compromise who I am for what he wants me to be. It's not in my nature, and more importantly, it's not in his"

"Sometimes I wonder if I should've just been honest with him in the beginning"

Lois looks at me oddly. "What do you mean? You've been lying to him on purpose?"

"No!" I assure her. That's not how I meant it to come out. "It's a personal thing, Lois. Something that only my parents knew and understood about me. I – I don't share my life with people too often"

Her face immediately softens.

"I'm sorry, I'm just – " she begins to shiver and I quickly take action.

"It's okay." I go through my dresser and take out my Smallville sweatshirt to hand to her. "Here, why don't you put this on?"

Lois takes it, my hand brushing against hers. I sit on the bed looking away from her as she removed her lightly damped clothes to get into my sweater. My super hearing can catch her struggle.

"Can you help me?"

Her voice sounded so defeated and tired, and I make the conscious decision to turn around. I slowly make my way towards her, and I can see our faces in the small mirror I put up atop my dresser. Her face turns to stare at me and I keep my eyes on hers as I let my hands reach the bottom of her blouse, slowly lifting it up and off her.

Our eyes still connected. Never leaving one another.

I remove her bra, unclipping it from the back as it slip right off her. Her skis is so soft, my warm hand warmed her cool body. I reached for my sweater and helped her in it. I want more than anything to take her in my arms, but the situation left me keeping my distance.

"Thanks" she says softly and I pay a kiss on her temple.

"Stay with me tonight." Not to sleep together, but just to sleep. But I already knew Lois knew what I meant.

I lead her to my bed and removed the covers. She took off her pants before climbing into bed first. Leaving her with nothing but her underwear and my sweater. I climb in next, and even though the bed was too small for two people to sleep it, somehow, being with her, with my arms draped over her, scooped appropriately in my arms, we were a perfect fit.

That night, it was just the two of us and no one else.

Tomorrow was another day.

**To be continued…**


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Notes**: Yes, I've come with another update. I feel inspired today. I have to admit to you all though, that I just may focus on this story till it's finished before moving forward with Legacy and Rebirth. I'm going to make strides not to come up with anything else, because frankly, I'm beat. Enjoy!

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 30**

"I'm not human, Lois. I'm not even from this planet. Sometimes when I think I don't belong here, I remember the goods things… my parents. My friends. You." I move a lose strand of her hair behind her ear and a tear falls from my eye. "I want you in my life, Lois. I want you in my future"

She moved slightly from my touch while she slept, and I'm reminded that I can't hold it off any longer.

It's been a week since Lois and Lex's friendship crumbled. Every night since then, Lois stayed with me in my room. There were nights where I would just get up and grab a seat besides her, watching her sleep.

Listening to the rhythm of her heart beat.

Listening to every breath she took.

It's comforting to me. Like looking up in the city's clear blue sky and knowing the day would be great. I feel safe just having her in front of me. It felt right.

Like tonight… I've recited my words to her in her sleep so many times this week, I've lost count. But I know she's hurting. A lifetime of friendship, even if it was one with a man like Lex Luthor, is still a friendship that she valued.

Now it was over.

Luthor may not feel anything, but Lois feels everything.

She went about her week normally. Going to classes and hanging out with Chloe and me. She didn't shut down or anything, she was far too strong for that, but I knew.

I know it's not my fault, not entirely, but I can't stand to see her unhappy. And in my mind, I'm holding off telling her everything because I think it'll save her further heartache, but in truth, I think I'm trying to save myself.

I don't want to lose her.

But I'll be dammed if I cause her anymore unnecessary pain.

"Clark," she whispers softly, her eyes fluttering open.

"Hey," I gave out a small smile before leaning in to place a kiss on her forehead. "Go back to sleep"

She tugged on my hand. I love it every time she did that. When she did, it meant that she wanted me next to her. To me, it was no problem at all. If I could hold her like this forever, my life would remain perfect.

_Following Morning_

"Wakey, wakey!" Chloe charged into Clark's dorm room with the spare key he handed to her. Clark left earlier before Lois got up for a big assignment he had in one of his classes. Lois was through with her exams, hence why she's been spending all morning in dreamland.

Chloe headed for the blinds and opened it up. The sun's rays disturbing Lois's beautiful sleep.

"UGH!" Lois growled, flipping her body to face the wall without the sun blinding her. "Go away!"

Chloe grabbed one end of the blanket on the foot of the bed and pulled it right off her, quite confidently and without a single ounce of guilt to back it up.

"That was cruel, Chlo," said Lois, squinting her eyes at the little blonde, whom at the moment, towered her like the Statue of Liberty on Paris Island. "Don't you have a story to break this morning?"

Chloe grabbed both her hands to sit her up.

"It's a great day today, why don't we hang out?"

Lois raised her eyebrows, but clearly still half-asleep. "We do that every day," said Lois blankly.

Chloe rolls her eyes.

"Today's different"

Lois continues to whine at the disturbance. "Where's Clark?" asked Lois, finally taking notice that the other side of the bed is empty of her boyfriend.

"He…" Chloe started. "Is in class right now turning in his final"

"Oh"

"What about ice cream? I've brought some rocky road"

"It's still morning, Chlo"

Chloe stared sideways at the digital clock by the bed and then she shrugs. "People always say you can have breakfast any time of the day. Why not dinner and afternoon snacks too"

Lois chuckled. Chloe may be relentless in her pursuit of happiness, but at least she comes in prepared.

_Nearby Café_

"So, I've been meaning to ask…" Chloe stopped there, unsure of how to continue forward.

"Meaning to ask what?" Lois caught on.

"About you and Clark"

"What about us?" said Lois with a smirk.

"Well, there's the whole sleeping arrangement thing you two got going on?" Lois rolls her eyes this time but Chloe continues. "It's only natural for an outside perspective to assume that you two are…" Chloe gestures with her hands in some Getty version of sign language.

Lois wanted to laugh out loud with Chloe's pathetic attempt of signaling with her hands at two people getting it on.

"Don't ever do that in public again"

Chloe dropped her hands mildly embarrassed but still oh-so-curious.

"Well… are you and Clark… you know… together like that?"

Lois sheepishly shook her head.

Chloe slumped in disappointment. One of the reasons for asking Lois was so Chloe would know that she knew about Clark. Clark said that if he were ever going to go that far with Lois, she would know everything about him first. This past week, it's been hell trying to figure out whether she knew or not.

Neither talked about Lex and so she didn't press.

Even though she knew the answer on Clark's part, she wanted to know Lois's.

"Is there any particular reason why?"

"Well, aren't you mighty interested in our love lives," Lois quipped, understanding the appeal of a friend wanting to know certain details. "It just… hasn't been right"

"For him or for you?" Chloe asked a little more seriously.

"Both. At first, I was. I mean, believe me, it's hard enough as it is sleeping next to him and not having any kind of intimacy go beyond that, but mostly, it just hasn't been the right time… that and…"

"And…"

"Clark," Lois answers. "He's been distant with me, lately. When I lean forward, he leans back. He's just been… I don't know really, unsure I guess"

"You know he's a virgin, right?"

Lois chuckled. "Yes, Chloe, I know that"

"Maybe he's just saving himself for marriage"

"No," Lois shook her head confidently. "Definitely not that"

Chloe laughs and Lois soon follows. Chloe knew that until he comes clean with his Kryptonian lineage, Clark wouldn't go there. He couldn't bear to hurt her, not like that. Not when it's something so important as this.

"Clark loves you, Lois"

Lois smiled at the revelation. She already knew that but it was nice to hear it from somebody else. Love is a term not often used in her life, but she's been thinking a lot about it as of late.

_The Talon_

I super speed to the Talon after getting a call from my mom that she needed help with a few things. I arrive and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"What's up, mom?"

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things"

I raise my eyebrows. She probably knows by now of the talk I had with dad last week, this is probably the follow-up and I brace myself for it.

"Sure," I say wearily.

"How's Lois, by the way?"

I sigh. "Nice transition, mom. What's this all about?"

She smiles at me, and her smile always brings a smile on my face and I become a mama's boy all over again.

We grab an empty table and start to talk.

"Are you and Lois…"

I cover my ears. "MOM!" I say in an exasperated tone.

Mom laughs at me though.

"I'm not trying to put you on the spot, Clark. I just want to know how things are going between you two. Your father told me about what happened with Lex. Is Lois okay?"

I relax better now at the topic of discussion.

"I've never seen Lois like this before. She's always so lively and fun and full of personality… she still has a lot of those, but it doesn't seem like she's giving it her all. Two weeks ago, I catch her washing her car at one of our local car washes, she looked like she was cleaning it for a competition." I have to smile at the memory. It was a keeper.

"She'll work pass this"

"She's been friends with Lex practically their whole lives. I can't help that I feel like a lot of it is my fault"

"Have you told her yet?" she asked, implying if I told her about me being someone from another planet yet.

"Yeah, every night." My mom was about to scream in delight till I stopped her. "She was asleep through every one of them"

Mom frowns at me.

"I'm working on it, mom. I'm just trying to find the perfect time. I don't want to hit her all at once"

"There's never going to be a perfect time, Clark. Not with something like this"

"I know"

Like dad, mothers know best.

"Whatever happens, we'll be there. For both of you"

I take a hold of her hand, reminding myself how lucky I am to have to terrific parents.

"Thanks mom"

I give her a quick kiss before leaving. I've made up my mind. Tonight. I'm going to tell her.

**To be continued…**


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Notes**: Amy wanted this posted ASAP and I'm here to follow through. And what's all this talk about me writing smut? Ay! Alas, my !#$ notebook is hidden well away from any prying eyes. I'm still debating whether I should or not. Last time was a fluke. Have you read firegoddess's? OMG! Damn! Anyway, thanks for the reviews everyone. Don't worry Joseph, unless it fits the tone of the storyline itself, there won't be any gratuitous off-the-wall descriptions that are completely unecessary tothe story. Lex and Lois's friendship was going to deteriorate from the getgo. There was no getting around that, for me. It's sad on behalf of Lois. I'm glad it got across well. rhenq, thank you for the kind comments. I made the same psyche out in Chapter 30 from the very beginning. LOL! I love doing stuff like that. It keeps me on my toes too.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 31**

I could recite my speech a million times over and it still isn't good enough. On the way to Lois's place, I go over in my head the exact words I'm going to say and every time I hear myself say it, it keeps changing. Like a bad draft that keeps being returned for rewrites. It's a lot more different trying to gather the right words to tell Lois than it was telling Chloe.

For one, I'm in love with Lois Lane, which counts for a lot.

I reach my place but I don't quite seem to be able to turn the knob and enter. No amount of preparations could help ease my mind for the impending discussion. I stand in front of my door, unmoving.

Sighing, I turn and lean back on it. Sliding myself down until I reach the floor. Thinking. My heart races and I feel like a total wreck. I shouldn't be, though, Lois has had it hard this week. I shouldn't have any excuses.

But I'm still nervous.

Not dreadfully nervous, just nervous.

"Smallville?"

I look up and see Lois gazing down on me, concern on her face. I must look crazy just sitting out there in the hallway.

"Lois"

"What are you doing sitting outside your door? Lose a key?"

"No… I… um… I've got something to tell you"

Lois looks at me, her eyes full of amusement and I wonder what she's thinking.

"You think we could do this inside or is a live audience more preferable for you?"

"Oh," I realize and I mentally smack myself. I get up from my sitting position and quickly unlock the door to my room. I ask her in first and she obliges. "I thought you'd be here all ready"

"I spent the day with Chloe"

"Right," I remembered. I gave Chloe my spare key to check up on Lois this morning. I'm so glad the two of them have become close friends. They're like sisters now.

"So, what's up? You sounded serious out there"

I take in a large intake of air. This is it. The moment of truth. I cross my fingers behind my back and pray she doesn't freak out. I can never tell how people would react to my secrets. With the exception of my parents and Chloe, everyone else that's seen me use my powers was either meteor-influenced people or millionaires who want something in return.

"There's something about me that I've wanted to share with you"

"Oh yeah. What is there about Clark Kent that I don't already know about?" she says with a playful smile.

"A lot of things, actually"

Lois raises an eyebrow with interest.

I know what she's doing, and I love her even more for it. She did the same thing when we first started dating. Whenever I felt nervous about breaching a sensitive topic or any kind of topic, she would start it off in a fun and relaxed manner and it helps me open up without feeling too embarrassed about it.

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" she asks, her tone teasing. I shake my head, trying to stop the grin forcing its way to my lips.

"God no!" I reply wholeheartedly.

"That's a relief," she nods. Sometimes I wonder if she does this just to rile me up because she can. And if so, I don't blame her because I'm probably the most insecure person in this city.

"To be honest, I hope that after I tell you what I've wanted to tell you for a long time, it's you that won't break up with me"

The smile on her face slowly became serious.

"You make it sound like it's something life-alteringly huge"

"It is," I say truthfully. "And I know the wound is pretty fresh right now, but everything I'm going to tell you now is everything Lex has wanted to know about me since the day I saved his life on that bridge five years ago"

The silence that followed was excruciating to my ears. I don't think I've ever been more scared of anything my entire life until this moment. I hope I haven't lost her before I even get the chance to explain, but I know that's just my fears bubbling to the surface again. I really need to get rid of that, it just prevents me from moving forward.

Lois made her way to my bed, sitting on the soft cushion, both hands on her lap waiting for me to make the first move. I pull out a chair from my desk and placed it in front of her. I realize now that I'm not the only one who's afraid.

Somehow, it makes what I'm about to reveal a little easier to bear.

"When I first met Lex, his car went off the bridge and into the water. I swam down and helped him out of it," I recalled softly. I've went over the events probably just as much times as Lex has.

"I know, Clark, Lex told – " I stop her with a couple of fingers to her lips. I wanted to tell her in my words, not Lex's.

She let's me continue.

"He was driving at over 80 miles per hour when he hit me on that bridge"

Lois opened her mouth to speak but closed it soon after. And when she found her voice, "He hit you?"

"Yes"

I could see her squeezing her jaw shut and the image of disbelief crossing her features. But she didn't say anything further and I took it as a sign to continue.

So I did.

"I ripped his car hood off and took him ashore. Since then, he's been trying to figure out how he survived that crash, and every time I feel like I could trust him, he'd do something questionable and I'd fall back to keeping my secret to myself. Lying to him wasn't a plan and it wasn't intentional. It's who I am and it's what I do to keep myself… my family… and my friends' safe"

A long moment passed before Lois speaks. "So you were affected by the meteors too?" She looked like her mind was having a deathly debate in whether to believe my story by keeping an open mind. Her own experience in Smallville was enough to help her do so.

That would be my normal assumption, but I already knew that what I'm about to reveal to her next was going to change everything. Possibly even our relationship, but good or bad, it's a risk I want to make. We both deserve that much.

"No, Lois, I wasn't affected by the meteors"

She looks at me confused.

"But you just said…"

"I know. But the meteors had nothing to do with who I am"

"Who exactly are you?" she says softly. I could feel and hear her heart racing as fast as mine. I could even see her hand slightly tremble, and for a brief moment, I contemplated stopping… but I knew I couldn't. I needed to see this through. If not now, I may never.

"I'm a man that can do a lot of things… a lot of amazing things. I wake up sometimes and wonder how I could do all these things, and I ask myself why did it have to be me? I always looked at it as a burden but I don't anymore. I'm happy with who I am now and I want to share that with you." A pause. "I'm a man that can fly but it's you that sweeps me off my feet"

Something clicked inside of me when I said those last words. Like I knew what I was supposed to do. Like my abilities are suddenly connected to one another and I can sense how to use them without even thinking.

Lois remained speechless; she honestly didn't know what to say. I'm sure the words 'I'm a man that can fly' is still processing itself in her head. I can't even believe I said that either.

She stood up abruptly and I follow.

"Are you okay?"

Please don't run away from me.

With all the schooling and worldly travels that Lois has experienced throughout her relatively short life, she didn't see my confession coming at all. Regretfully, her life's experiences were all useless to her now that she has a boyfriend claiming that he can fly right in front of her.

"I… I don't know"

She's not running away from me and that leaves me with more hope than I could hope for. I turn to the window and opened it wide. I stare back at Lois and hope she could see all the emotions I was feeling right now that I lay bare in front of her.

I hold my hand out. "Fly with me, Lois." In my heart and in my soul, I knew how to and I wanted to cross that barrier with the woman who taught me how to live life, and how to cherish it.

I could tell that a part of her doesn't believe me, and I don't blame her with that either. I've never given her any doubt to think I was anything other than a farm boy from Kansas.

She looks away from me, surveying my room like there was something missing.

"You can't fly, Smallville. And unless you've got an advanced jet pack hiding somewhere on you, humans don't fly"

I realize then that she hadn't yet realized what I am exactly so I stepped away from the window and I move towards her.

She doesn't flinch.

I cradle her chin with my fingers and lift her lips to touch mine.

She still didn't flinch and she returned my kiss as passionately as I give myself to her.

"I'm not human," I say in a whisper and I can feel her gasp softly at the revelation. I keep her close, one arm wrapped around her waist while the other stayed caressing her cheek. "Fly with me," I ask again. "I won't let you go, I promise"

She looked down when she felt her feet go light. We were floating a couple of feet off the ground. Lois's mouth was left agape as she looked back and forth from my eyes to my feet and back to my eyes again.

I could tell she was surprised, but she didn't look the least bit afraid. I inwardly thank her for that.

"We're flying," she describes, her voice expressing still shock.

"Technically, we're floating, but I do want to fly with you." I lean down and kissed her again, and for the second time tonight, she didn't flinch or back away. "Will you fly with me, Lois Lane?"

She nodded before letting out a soft yes. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held me tightly.

I do the same.

We're going to fly, and tonight, I could take her anywhere.

**To be continued…**


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Notes**: Thanks everyone. Your comments means a lot. The last time I went this long in a story is when I wrote the **2200 Series**. This update will be short but it does further their story.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 32**

"Clever," Lois says as she looks over the building's edge with Metropolis's lights staring back at her with a character of their own.

We land back to where it started for the both of us. The Daily Planet roof. We had our first date here. It was magical. Surreal. It began something like a never ending story. I smile when I remember every bit of detail I spent with her.

I've always had two kinds of futures presented to me…

A destiny I never wanted.

And then there's the normal life I can never have.

I was wrong about the second part, and even the first. It was never about following my destiny. It was about having faith in a destiny that I could choose. It took me a long time to realize that for whatever destiny I had, in the end, it was my choice to make.

I spent a long time running away from it. Denying where I came from and not believing in myself more.

Looking back at it now, I think I was just scared.

I look at Lois and I see how mesmerized she was when we flew over Metropolis. How her eyes never left the sparkling city, and when she looked into mine, I can see that she wasn't afraid. I can see my future in them as clear as I can hear our hearts beat as one.

"You're really an alien?" With the shock slowly subsiding but it's still very high, along its place is wide-eyed interest.

"I thought the flying gave it away," I say letting out a grin.

She gave a low chuckle.

"So you've never really flown till now?"

I stand besides her, leaning on the edge like she is. "I did, once… but I never could get it to work again until tonight. I have you to thank for that"

"I'm sorry… it's just… a little hard for me to believe that I had anything to do with your… gifts"

"It's not so hard if you let yourself believe"

"Is this the part where you throw fairy dust on me and fly me to Neverland?"

"I could," reply with a smile. "But I won't." I take her hand with my own. "But we could start our own story. You and me. Together. I could fly you away anywhere, just name the place and I'll take you there"

"Clark," she says softly. With a single word, I can feel a wave of emotions flowing out of it. "This is going too fast. I don't want you to be disappointed when you wake up one morning and realize you've made a mistake."

I frown. I'm the one who's suppose the have the insecurities not her.

"That's… the first stupidest thing you've ever said to me," I proclaim, not making it easy for he to back down.

She laughs and another layer of ice is broken.

"Look, there's so much about me that I want to share with you. It's not just about the powers I have… it's about the baggage that comes with it, and I don't want you to wake up one morning and realize you've made a mistake too. I want you to know everything"

"It's that how you see yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Baggage"

I shake my head, uncertain. "I guess it depends on your perception"

"I'm not asking for mine, I was asking for yours"

"It's complicated"

"Hey, I just found out my boyfriend is an alien who can fly on a continental level. Believe me when I say that I could see the complications involved… but you can't look at yourself as a complication, Clark"

I shake my head wanting to prove her wrong. "Last year, when I joined the football team, I wasn't suppose to because I had… advantages… but ever since I could remember, I wanted to be a part of something that made me feel even a tiny bit normal. Like everyone else. So I fought my dad for my right to be on that team. And then…" I remember exactly what happened and I wasn't very proud of it. "Even though it wasn't intentional, I lost control for second… a second Lois, and when I did, I hurt somebody. I broke his clavicle, and at the end of the day, I was still on the team playing the next game"

"It's human nature to want things," she says comfortingly. "You may look at yourself like an outsider, but you're more connected to this earth than most of us because you appreciate it. You cherish it. There's nothing more important than being grateful for the life given to us"

I stand there, looking at Lois in the eyes and I can't believe that she's real. That she's in front of me now and that she's with me. She isn't running away and she's not telling me to change. Lois looks at me for me. For all the years I've fought for normalcy, I'm beginning to understand that human life is what we make of it.

This is me.

Born as Kal-El but raised as Clark Kent.

I know now that I don't want normal.

I want Lois Lane.

Suddenly, I catch her shivering and I immediately use my heat vision to warm her. Lois looks back at me surprised at the sudden shift in temperature.

"What just happened?"

"I… um… used my eyes." She looks at me oddly and I rephrase the weak explanation. "My eyes can generate heat when I focus on something. Kinda like a laser"

"A laser?"

"Uh huh"

"You can shoot lasers from your eyes?"

"Yes"

"Anytime you want?"

"Pretty much"

"So if the city happened to have a huge blackout and its winter time, you can just, you know, stare at something and it'll light up on fire?"

I nod and laugh; amused of the way Lois registers my abilities. And I haven't even told her all of them yet.

"Wow"

I laugh again. This night turned out far better than I hoped for.

"Come on," I say, taking her in my arms again. "Let's get a cup of coffee and I'll tell you all about myself"

"Well, there's a Starbuck's around the corner," she recommended but I shake my head.

"I had somewhere else in mind," I say with a little mischief in my voice.

She narrowed her eyes curiously.

"Where?"

"Venice"

Lois looks at me once more, speechless before we took flight and headed, or more precisely, flew east towards the Mediterranean. I always did wanted to visit Europe, and it's perfect to first spend the experience with the woman I'm falling deeply in love with.

**To be continued…**


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Notes**: Thanks everybody. Your reviews are phenomenal. I appreciate the continued support and encouragement in regards to this story. It's a pleasure to write. Sorry for the three-day wait. I normally don't write Fanfiction during weekends, and I was off Friday so technically, my weekend started a day early wink but I'm back now, and hopefully, I you all are still here.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 33**

_Two Months Later_

Swing. "FORE!" Lois warned audibly out to the players in the green as she watched her golf ball head towards them. She brought Chloe along to play a little round of golf on such a good day.

"Wow, Lois. I didn't know you were such an aficionado"

Lois grinned. "I have to be if I'm gonna keep up with my super powered boyfriend"

Chloe had to smile about that. It's been two months since Clark told Lois everything, and since then, they've been almost inseparable. The two women have grown even closer as friends now as well, if that was even possible.

"So, how are things going with you and Clark? Do I hear wedding bells in the near future?"

Lois chuckles, and then shakes her head. "We're doing fine just dating," said Lois, waiting for Chloe to take her position behind the ball.

Chloe grabs a club and heads to her spot and girlishly prepares herself to hit the ball.

"Sweetie," called out Lois. "That's a putter"

Chloe glanced at the club she held. "Oh. Right." Chloe tosses the putter haphazardly aside and Lois throws her a driver. This is the first time Chloe have ever played golf that didn't involve anything miniature and it amuses Lois greatly that a girl of Chloe's intellect couldn't tell the difference between a putter and a driver.

"What are you guys waiting for?" said Chloe as she swings and misses. She scrunched her nose and gave out a huff then tries again, readjusting her form while she's at it. "You're practically living together." She swings again, and this time, she got a piece of it, but instead of hitting the ball forward, it went sideways, forcing Lois to duck face down for cover.

"Chlo! This is golf, not a war zone. And there's no talking in golf," said an exasperated Lois getting up from her prone position.

Chloe shrugged. "I told you we should've stayed with miniature golf. And since when do you not like talking?"

Lois eyed her with a death glare. "I have my moments"

They two girls gather their stuff and hop into their golf cart. And since driving the golf cart is about the only thing Chloe knew how to do well out in the golf course, she does the driving. She brings up the topic again.

"Have you two talked about marriage yet?"

Lois sighs. "Chloe! We're still in college"

"So?" said Chloe. "You're in love, aren't you? Besides, I'm living out my Kent fantasies through you so the least you could do is milk it for all it's worth"

Lois laughs.

"Okay, first of all. That's just weird. Secondly, Clark and I… we haven't really gone there"

Chloe hits on the breaks and the force nearly throws Lois off the cart.

"That's it! I'm driving!" said Lois, running around the cart and pushing Chloe to the passenger seat. "Geez, and here I thought I was the reckless driver"

Chloe is still processing the earlier information about Lois and Clark. "What do you mean you and Clark hasn't gone there yet?"

"It means what it basically means. Clark and I… and I can't believe I'm going to say this, but we're going steady without the sex"

"Really?" Chloe couldn't believe this. "Is it because he's an…"

"God no!" Lois assures, knowing exactly what Chloe was leading up to. "It has nothing to do with that, believe me"

"So why? I figured after he told you about him, you two would be shacked up in your room for days on end"

Lois rolled her eyes, ignoring her. "Let's go work on your form and we'll see if your question warrants an answer"

Chloe growls in response.

_Kent Farm_

"What's going on, son?" My dad asks me as he removes his work gloves after coming out of the barn and spotting me by the porch. I hug him despite all the dirt he had on himself.

"Hey dad"

"Everything all right?" he continued, fatherly concern crossing his features.

I nod, but I'm sure he could tell there was something more on my mind.

"Is this about Lois?"

I move over to the porch and sit on the steps.

"Kinda"

"Well…" he waited. "Son, I may be your father, but I'm not a mind reader. What's going on with you and Lois? You two aren't breaking up, I hope. I thought things were going great"

"No, it is. It's just… I know we don't talk about this a lot, and we've talked a little about it before and it usually ends with me trying not to listen, but… it's about… you know… stuff"

At first, my dad couldn't comprehend what I was trying to point out, and once he did, I grow red in embarrassment.

"So you and Lois haven't had sex yet?"

I stare awkwardly away. Parent's always had a way to point the obvious, leaving me thinking that I should find more male friends. I couldn't bring this up with Chloe because, one, she's a girl. And two, she's close with Lois. It's just too weird for me.

"Is it wrong for me to want to go there?"

I don't want to disappoint my parents; that's the last thing I ever want to do, but I love Lois, and sometimes, I want to express that feeling with more than just words and phrases.

Dad shakes his head.

"No, son, it isn't wrong. A part of me hoped that you would wait till you were married, but I know that times have changed, and if that's something you're absolutely sure about, then I won't stop you"

I breathe out a sigh of relief. I'm glad he was honest about it too, not that he was ever dishonest with me, but my parents always had a way in sugarcoating life to keep me safe.

"If I knew we were ready, I'd ask Lois to marry me right now"

"What's keeping you?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Dad gives me a bemused look. "Hey, your mother and I love Lois as much as you do. I'm glad she's in our lives. I certainly won't mind her being my daughter-in-law if that ever happens"

Somehow, just knowing that little fact made me happy.

"You know Lois. She's an independent. She doesn't like being told what to do and how to live her life. And then there's the big fact that we're both still in college. I know she has a part-time gig working for the Planet, but realistically, we're totally unprepared for a commitment like marriage"

"I'll tell you a little secret, son. Marriage in itself is an unknown, and that's what makes going into it so fun, everything is a new discovery"

"It's different with you and mom"

"I won't lie to you about that, Clark, it is different. It's different because you and Lois have a lot to offer not just to each other, but perhaps, to a lot more people out there"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm your father, aren't I?" he grinned, the first I've ever seen him do in a long time.

"Thanks, dad"

"Just have a little patience son. It'll be worth it in the end"

In my heart, I hope it never ends. I want to be with Lois forever if I can help it.

_Metropolis University_

I unlock the door to my dorm room and enter to find Lois's luggage filled with her belonging. I look around curiously for her wondering what was going on.

"Lois"

"Hey," she says, coming out of the bathroom all dressed and ready to go somewhere. She gives me a quick kiss before heading towards the open luggage on the bed, adding a couple of more things before closing it shut.

"You going somewhere?"

She let out a soft sigh before answering. "My father is in town, he called me an hour ago telling me – actually, it was more like ordering me to pack up my stuff and stay with him downtown. It's a two-story loft he bought a long time ago that we rarely use unless he's in the city"

"Oh"

She smiled and crossed the room, wrapping her arms around my waste. "Don't worry, I'll be back. It'll only be a few days"

"That's still a long time to wait," I say frowning.

She gives me a long kiss. "You can always hover at my window and whisk me away"

The idea sounds incredibly tempting. "As long as you promise to keep it unlocked, you got yourself a deal"

"Come on, walk with me"

Outside, we walked along the campus path while Lois described her father for the first time since we met.

"He aggravates me most of the time. Getting a 99 isn't enough. 100 is what it's all about"

"That isn't so bad"

"Oh it was bad. I had such a problem with authority; I purposely got a C in half my classes just to get him riled up"

"Was that wise?"

"No, but it was fun. Once I got into high school, though, we pretty much drifted apart. I barely see him anymore, and when I do, he's hard to avoid. The last thing I want is having a whole team of soldiers looking for me"

"Great," I say nervously. I've never met her dad, so I can only imagine what that might be like. I've met some pretty important people over the years, but General Sam Lane seems like the kind of man you don't want to cross.

Twenty minutes later, we end up back at my dorm room.

"I should get going, he'll court Marshall me or something if I don't show up on time."

I kiss her one more time before letting her go.

"Call me when you get there"

"I will. Don't worry, Smallville. I'll be back before you know it," she says, throwing me a wink before turning, disappearing as she made a turn in the hallway. I breathe out carefully. There was a lot to think about, and this weekend is as good a time as any to figure out what I'm going to do.

**To be continued…**


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Notes**: I had to get out of first person point-of-view in this chapter for good reason and I don't know if I'm going to stop it for good.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 34**

"What?"

Lois is angered by her father's meddling. He disappears for months on end, and when he returns, he expects her to be the exact same person he left months ago. Something about his actions wasn't sitting well with her.

"I don't want you to unpack. A helicopter will be landing on the roof in ten minutes. I want you on that plane, no questions asked," said Sam Lane in his command voice.

"Dad?" Lois tried to get a word in but her father refuses to listen to her pleas.

"Lo. For once, do as I ask"

Lois could hear the panic in his voice. Something else is happening; she could feel it in her gut. Something has her father scared, and not a lot of things can scare him, so whatever it is, it's making her worry too.

Suddenly, two of his subordinates enter the apartment to grab her bags.

"Dad, please…"

"I'm sorry, Lo"

Suddenly, as she's being ushered towards the elevator, only one face came into her mind. 'To hell with this,' she uttered softly, elbowing one soldier in the face and punching the other with her left hand balled into a fist. She shoves them away and rushes to the staircase, she could barely hear the soldier's calling for her to stop until she continued to run down the steps as fast as she could.

She needed to see him, and she wasn't about to do it with a phone call, a telegram or an email.

Lois quickly hailed a cab. "Metropolis University. And step on it," she ordered the cab driver.

Less than ten minutes later, in his dorm room, Clark is feverishly concentrating on his current assignment, straining often to think of his girlfriend. Instead of working on economics paper and how it contributes to changes in social society, he finds himself planning their next trip together.

All of the sudden, his super hearing picks up rapid footsteps coming from outside. Clark quickly leaves his desk to see what's going on but before I could reach the door, it bursts open and Lois appeared, throwing her arms around him as if clinging for life.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he felt her arms tighten around him. "Shh… it's okay, I'm here. What happened"

"I don't know," he faintly heard her say, and she said it right besides his ear.

Clark grows worried.

"Get me out of here, please," she says, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Clark nods and doesn't press any further. Lois's eyes divert to his window and Clark follows her lead. There were men dressed in military BDU's. Lois looks back to Clark. "Now would be good"

Clark quickly leads them away, and once the coast was clear, they took off.

Clark had been lucky that it had been dark outside or else people would've seen them taking off from campus. They land at a Motel 6 just outside of Metropolis. Clark is still left confused by the events that have happened in the last few minutes.

Immediately, they pay for a room in cash.

"All right, can you tell me now what's happening? Who were those guys?"

"I don't know," Lois answered with uncertainty. "I went to meet my dad, and suddenly he ordered me to leave Metropolis"

"What?" Clark says in disbelief.

"And I couldn't leave," her voice broke slightly. "I couldn't leave… without… saying goodbye to you first"

Clark shook his head, not wanting to hear it.

"I can protect you"

"I know you can," she says softly. "But see, when the General tells me to pack, it isn't without good reason." A pause… "And whatever it is, it's serious and I can't have that around you. If you even give them a single reason to investigate you… Clark, this isn't Lionel or Lex Luthor," she tries in an attempt to make him understand. "This is the U.S. government"

"I don't care, I've handled worse"

"You should," she says in a tone that showed she wasn't by all means joking around.

"I can take you away from all this until it blows over. You don't have to do this alone," Clark expressed with all the emotion he could muster up. Just when things are so perfect, she had to leave.

"It's not about doing it alone, it's about doing what's best," she rationalized.

"Well, what's best isn't good enough," Clark returned angrily. "I love…"

Lois stops him from saying it. "Please don't."

"No, I want to say it. I love…" Lois stops him once more by pulling him in, his lips crashing against hers with electricity they hadn't known was there until they crossed that line. Everything around them seemed to fade into a blur of colors. "Make love to me, Clark"

Their kisses were fast, urgent, full of need and passion that's long been held between them like fireworks ready to explode.

He pushes her lightly against the wall, his hands exploring every bit of her upper body while hers maneuver their way from his neck, down his torso and to the buckles of his pants.

"Lois," he whispered, his breathing ragged.

"Don't." She kissed him deeper, more intense. All thoughts quickly faded from his mind and all he could think about is her.

Clark lifted her against the wall and moved to the bed nearby, still kissing her. The night wouldn't end there.

Lois woke up a couple of hours after and spent a brief moment just watching Clark sleep peacefully besides her. What she wouldn't do to experience this every day she opened her eyes. With his arms tightly wrapped her hear waist, she carefully removed herself from his embrace.

The sudden coldness in the air almost forced her to take her place back by Clark's side but she resisted.

She quietly searched for her clothes all over the room, and before she leaves, she takes one last look at the man that won heart.

"I love you," she whispered softly in his sleep, kissing him once more on the lips before leaving.

_One Year Later_

In Smallville, Kansas, Lois Lane finds herself in the Kawatche Caves, staring at each mark and committing it to memory for no particular reason. This place is a part of Clark and she felt an overwhelming need to be there just to be close to him in some way.

"Hello? Lois?"

Lois let out a weak smile and turned away from the cave paintings to stare in the eyes of the other woman in Clark Kent's life.

His mother.

"Hi, Mrs. Kent," said Lois, swallowing hard. Before she can say anything further, the older woman enveloped her in a big hug and Lois finds herself cherishing the moment as much as possible.

"How are you?" Martha asks, holding Lois's face in her hands.

Lois smiled weakly.

A lot has happened.

**To be continued…**


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Notes**: Piper, you're not wrong. People write her a lot leaving, but I actually had her say goodbye. Sonia, yes it's cruel and unusual. I realized when I finished Chapter 33 that I could end the story in a couple chapters, so I decided to thrown in this scenario to spread it out a little further. Hence the change in direction. Lilly, all will be known soon. Elbowface, I'd recommend 2200. A lot of teasing there. LOL! Thanks everyone for the reviews. I wholly appreciate it.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 35**

Lois Lane and Martha Kent walked along the path towards her pickup truck in relative silence. Between the two of them, there were so many questions to ask. So many emotions to share, neither knew how to approach the situation.

"You look well," said Martha kindly.

Lois has changed since Martha last saw her over a year ago when she and Clark visited the farm one weekend. She looked exhausted and a little ill maybe, but she isn't very sure.

"You too," said Lois.

She has only ever been nervous around Martha Kent when she first visited her in the hospital after the shooting, but now, after a year of no contact with her, her husband or her son, well, there's reason why she is hesitant to speak without fear of saying the wrong thing.

"Your call was a surprise, I didn't know whether to tell anyone or not, so I just got in the car and here I am"

Lois smiled weakly at the thought, suddenly awkward at the position she placed themselves in. "You didn't do anything wrong, believe me... its okay, either way, I'm glad you came"

"Why are you here, Lois?" Martha asks softly. "What happened to you? One morning, Clark comes to us and he says your gone"

Immense guilt from her departure shot through her with a force of a shotgun pulling you back right after you pull the trigger.

"It all happened so fast"

"Where have you been?"

"Around." A beat. "Everywhere." They reached Mrs. Kent's pickup truck first and Lois stood meekly in front of the older woman, words failing to be expressed. "How is he?"

"Clark." Martha knew what she was already thinking. "He… he misses you. He finished college, though," Martha recounts proudly. "After you left, he sort of threw himself into his studies. I think it was easier for him not to think about you when his mind was occupied with large stacks of homework"

Lois smiles in spite of herself. Martha continues.

"So he took extra classes during the summer and during the school year"

"I'm happy for him"

"He'll be happy to see you," said Martha encouragingly. Just because her son is a college graduate now, it didn't mean that he thought of Lois any less. On the contrary, he thinks about her a lot. "Can I ask what happened?"

Lois swallowed hard. "You can, but I owe it to Clark to tell him first. I just needed to see you guys were fine before I dive in head first"

Martha smiles. Still the same Lois.

That afternoon, Lois rides with Martha back to the Kent Farm. During that brief trip, various thoughts and feelings battled within her. Martha was silent knowing that Lois had a lot on her mind to sort out. Martha then notices that Lois keeps fiddling with the silver locket she wore around her neck.

"That's a beautiful necklace," comments Martha.

Lois gave a low smile.

"Thanks. It was a gift. From my dad"

"You two have settled your differences?"

Lois shakes her head. "No. We still argue, but he's a lot mellower now"

Martha nods. "That's good"

They arrive at the Kent Farm, and the place looks just the way she last saw it. Lois was thankful that some things didn't change. The two ladies exit the vehicle just as Clark came outside the house.

Clark's eyes go wide in surprise. "Hi"

"Hey Smallville"

And then the last year came flooding back and he immediately goes on the defensive. "What are you doing here?" he asked rather skeptically.

"Partly to beg and plead for your forgiveness, but mostly because I wanted to see you." Lois clasped her hands together a little nervously. "How are you?"

"Internal organs are still in one piece. Especially around here," he points where his heart is.

Clark turns his back to her and stomped his way up the stairs to his loft as Lois trailed behind, rolling her eyes.

"You're angry with me." It wasn't an accusation; it's simply a statement of fact.

"Of course I'm angry with you," he shot back. "You left. You give me everything and then you leave. Who does that?" Clark closed his eyes then opened them shaking his head. "Forget I asked." He'd forgotten about the story he told Lois last year about running away to Metropolis one summer before his junior year in high school.

"I didn't come here to apologize," Lois admits.

Clark's jaw stiffened. So why was she here?'

"That's great," he says sarcastically.

"I didn't come here to say sorry because no amount of apologies can change what I did. I could've come back anytime from when I left… but I didn't. I had my reasons"

"And what reasons may that be… if, of course, you think I deserve to know." He wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily.

Lois raised an eyebrow. His confidence has grown the last year.

"You're not making it easy for me to tell you"

"You never make anything easy at all," Clark quickly retorts. He's thought about her every day since she left.

_Flashback to one year ago_

_Lois woke up and Clark could feel her body leave his side. It took all his will not to reach out and take her back in his arms. _

_He could hear everything. The reluctance of each gesture she made. The quickening of her heart. _

_  
And then…_

_He felt her lips against his and the words that followed._

_  
"I love you," she says, thinking he was still asleep._

_Then she was gone and Clark opened his eyes, the tears he'd kept at bay he could no longer withhold. _

_End of Flashback_

"Look, Clark, I didn't come here to start a fight with you. I came to explain what happened"

"Too little too late, Lois," said Cark on impulse.

"Really?"

"No, not really, but seeing you right now is making me angry so give me a minute to cool off"

Lois crossed her arms and leaned back on the banister. As far as scenarios goes, this is going a lot better than she expected. She hoped it lasts.

"You look great, by the way"

Clark tries his best to ignore her but he can't. Not after spending so many months apart and so many nights just thinking about her.

"You too," he says, finally taking in her appearance. She looked tired, but she seems softer somehow. He can't quite explain it in better words.

"Are you staying back here?" she asks, in an attempt to make idle chit-chat.

He shakes his head, it's like no time has passed at all. "I live in Metropolis now. I moved in an apartment a couple months before graduation."

"I heard you applied to the Planet"

Clark eyed her suspiciously. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation"

"Who told you? Mr. White? Nevermind, it doesn't matter. They didn't hire me"

"They're not in the business of hiring inexperience reporters. You should try freelance; it'll get you on your feet in terms of exposure and experience. The Planet loves that in an application form"

"You would know, wouldn't you?" he says a little bitterly.

Lois sighs. "I haven't written an article for anyone all year," she reveals.

"Oh"

They stood in front of one another in awkward silence until Lois speaks up.

"You want to go for a ride?"

Clark doesn't know how to react. "Right now?"

"No, tomorrow. Yes, now"

Clark chuckles. "You're the one who walked out of our relationship and now I have to do what you ask me to"

"Let's clear the air before either of us says something we might regret. I didn't leave to hurt you. Things got complicated and I didn't call. Then the situation got even more complicated and I was left a little incapacitated, so I didn't call. Lastly, I'm here now trying to make things right, but I can't do that if you keep turning everything I say against me"

Clark sighed then felt disappointed in himself for being too aggressive at her reappearance. It's true, he doesn't know why she left and she left little room in between the months she was gone to tell him why, and he guessed that's where the root of his anger comes from.

Bottom line, she left and he didn't know what for. He hopes she could finally shed some light into that overlooked detail.

"Where to?" he finally says.

Then her phone rings and Clark momentarily curses her cell phone.

"Give me a minute," Lois says, flipping open her phone. "Hey dad. Is everything all right? How is he?... No, I'll be there in a couple of hours…. Okay, bye." Lois hangs up and the conversation left Clark confused.

"Are you seeing someone?"

"Other than my father, not really"

What did she mean, not really? "So there's someone else?"

"I'm not involved with anyone, if that's what you're asking"

"So who's the guy you were talking about on the phone?"

Lois gave him a serious glare. "Don't tell me you used your super hearing to ease drop into my conversation"

"No. I was tempted though. But I didn't. So are you gonna answer me?"

"Yes, but I need tell you something first"

Clark could see all the emotions trapped behind her glistening eyes and knew that she was being sincere. Whatever it is, it has a strong hold on her. Clark puts his anger from her abandonment aside and let's her talk.

"I'm all ears"

Lois breathes in hard. Here it goes…

**To be continued…**


	36. Chapter 36

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 36**

Clark sat; almost desolate as he let Lois's words sink in. He didn't know what to say, he could barely even think. At first, he believed she was staying away for some mediocre reason like to remain safe or that she was doing this for his best interest. The depth of which she disappeared were suddenly becoming more than he could bear.

"His name is Cameron. This is the first time I've ever left him alone, so I'm feeling a little weird. He looks just like you, especially his smile. One look and you feel like you'll do anything for him"

Clark's breathing became quicker. He recalled her words. Cameron. His smile. He has a son out there. How was that even possible?

"I…" he was at a loss for words. "I didn't even know I could"

"Neither could I," said Lois. "I've been on birth control so – "

"You didn't know about it," Clark cut her off, his eyes meeting hers for the first time since she revealed to him about the child… their child.

"Of course not!" Lois sees the battle his mind was waging inside himself. "I would've told you if I had known beforehand"

"Why didn't you tell me after?" Clark made a conscious effort not to raise his voice. He didn't want to alert his parents that he and Lois were having… he doesn't even know if this is an argument.

"I told you… things got… complicated"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly what it does mean. Clark, I'm telling you now. I wasn't hiding him from you. I've never even entertained the idea of keeping him from you."

"You didn't have to do it alone"

Lois immediately softens at the remark. "I wasn't alone. I had my dad with me"

Unconvinced. "Right. The General. The same man that took you from me"

She takes his hand and holds it softly against her own. It's the first time they've touched each other in one year, and it felt electrifying.

"It was my choice to go to him. And it was my choice to stay with him after I found out I was pregnant. You want to blame someone, you blame me, okay," she says softly but seriously.

Clark looked away without taking his hand away. He's missed this. Being with her, talking, even when they're arguing, it means something to him. He's been going through the motions of this past year without any clear objective of the future. And now, the future he kept hidden after she left came pouring out of him all over again.

"Was the pregnancy… normal?"

Clark wanted to know every detail, but he made sure not to press too much. As overwhelming this is for him, the feeling goes both ways.

She nods a little hesitantly.

"It was… not what I expected," she answered simply. "And I can't really judge any differently because I've never been pregnant before"

"That's a relief," he quipped, making them both smile.

A first for the both of them since this whole thing started.

"He knows you, though. I talk to him about you all the time. He smiles whenever I mention your name, like he knows exactly who you are somehow"

That simple thought made everything he was feeling so surreal. Never in a million years has he ever imagined being a father. He thought about it, sure, but he was never really sure about it. A large part of him believed that he was biologically incapable of having a child.

"Has he done anything weird?" Clark asks curiously.

"What? Like floating over his crib? Incinerating flies with his heat vision?" Clark gives her a pointed look saying, 'not funny,' but Lois thought it was. "No, nothing Kryptonian-like. He's a perfectly healthy baby boy"

"Good," Clark expressed with great relief. "Do you have a picture of him?"

Lois smiles at him for a moment before reaching towards the locket she wore around her neck. She lifted it off her and hands it to him. He takes it carefully and pulls it open. A tiny photo of Lois holding their infant child in one side and a single photo of Cameron in the other. It was almost like his son was watching him.

His son…

"He's so small," he says, enraptured by the photo and committing it to memory. He wanted to remember every little thing about him. He smiled even greater when he notices something familiar about him. "He has your eyes"

Lois smiled at his quick observation. "Most of the time," she admits. "But when the sun hits it a certain way, it'll turn blue… like yours." She follows it with a shrug. "I didn't even know that was possible, but then again, he is our son"

Our son. Clark liked the sound of that. He liked it very much.

"Would you like to meet him?" she adds.

Clark looked up and suddenly felt uncertain.

"I don't know – I don't want to confuse him or anything"

Lois shook her head knowingly. "You're his father, Clark," she reminded him. "And he's three months old, you won't confuse him"

"What about your dad? Does he know about…" he points to himself and her.

She shakes her head slowly. "He doesn't know. The few hours I panicked after they took blood tests on me, I thought they would find something… not quite terran in my test results. It turned out that Cameron takes after me in the DNA pool. The only other plausible explanation I could think of was that your Kryptonian genes and humans probably have many similarities that the results came without any irregularities"

"I'm glad." Then the thought of knowing that Cameron was safe in that regard lifted his spirits. And with that thought, he finally decided. "Do you think we could see him now?"

Lois smiles.

"Yeah, I'd love for you to meet him"

"Are you sure it's okay?"

"Clark, I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't," she assured.

"I know, it's just… you disappear and suddenly here you are, and now this…" he points to the photo. "It's a lot to take in"

"I know," she nods understandably.

"What if I do something wrong?"

"Smallville," she smiled, resting her hand against his cheek. "You'll be just fine"

Clark smiles gratefully. Lois's assurance and support gives him a lot more strength than he had a few minutes ago. It's odd, he should be downright angry with her, furious even, but knowing they made a child together, everything else didn't seem to matter.

She took her hand away and Clark wished she hadn't. Lois walks towards the stairs.

"We should go talk to your parent's; I owe them an explanation too"

"Wait, not yet," Clark insisted much to Lois's surprise. "I know it's a little selfish, but I wanted to meet him first"

Lois understands. She deprived him of Cameron's birth. She wasn't going to deprive him of this.

"Then we should get going"

"Why don't we fly?" recommends Clark.

Lois raised her eyebrows.

"Are you okay to fly?" Clark adds, noting her questionable expression. "I've gotten pretty good at it while you were gone. It was a great way to vent my frustrations. I couldn't lash out on Earth, so I harassed the stars"

Lois laughs and then agrees.

"Don't let me go?"

Clark looked her in the eyes; the love she left behind a year ago was still evident in them.

"Lois…" he starts softly. "I've never let you go"

**To be continued…**


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's Notes**: Marcy, Marcy & Marcy, Attorney's At Law are relentless in their pursuit for more updates. But here it is. And I hope it turns out as well as I hope it does. I need Exposed to air right now so I can be inspired. Aqua was great and all, but it wasn't enough. Okay, here's the update. Enjoy!

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 37**

When Clark first saw Lois at the farm, the last thing he expected to do was fly them out of Smallville and to Metropolis so he could meet his son.

His son.

Clark couldn't help but smile at the recently known fact. Every once in a while, he would sneak a glimpse at Lois as he held her in his arms as they flew high above the clouds where it seemed like they could almost reach the moon.

So much as changed in so little time.

"Clark." Lois suddenly interrupted his thoughts and he looks at her, noticing the distress on her face. "I need you to put me down," she requested as politely as possible.

"What? Why, what's wrong?"

"Please," she softly pleaded.

Clark immediately slows down and descends to the nearest building in sight and away from curious eyes. They've been flying above the clouds for several minutes and he was lucky that they were so high up, no open would notice them landing on a nearby roof, especially as the night came creeping behind them.

"Are you okay?"

Lois shook her head, brushing past him, throwing up in the corner. "I'm sorry, I'm just… motion sickness I guess"

Clark moved right besides her, kneeling down, his eyes filled with concern.

"Since when do you get motion sickness?" Clark asks both worriedly and with a curious gaze. He held his hand out for her to take.

She does and he helps her up as she explains. "About midway through my first trimester, morning sickness took on a whole new meaning. I thought it was just the flu but, when the General saw me unconscious on the floor well… that raised the red flag"

Clark didn't know what to say. "I had no idea, I'm sorry." He stuffed his hands in his pocket, looking ashamed.

"Don't go all guilty on me now, I'm not," Lois waves off.

"Lois…" Clark began in a soft voice. He has asked before and she sort of tip-toed around the answer, but he wanted to know now. Clark is ready for it. "Why'd you stay away?"

Lois breathed in, knowing the question wasn't far along. "After our… our last night together, I met back up with my dad and he flew me to Anchorage. He was still really angry that I dodged him the day before so he gave me the silent treatment until we got there."

Clark remained silent and waited for her to continue. He didn't want to say anything that might push her away from him anymore than she already was. As great it is having her close by, and knowing they created a life together, she still kept a certain amount of distance between them.

"Turns out that he'd been on a classified assignment overseas and that their cover was blown, prompting him to order his team on an immediate extraction."

"What did any of that have to do with you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm the General's daughter. My bylines are all over the Daily Planet, the most widely circulated paper in the world which also happens to be published in over a dozen languages. When they figured out who was behind the schematics of the operation, it wouldn't be long till they come knocking on my door"

"So he ordered you away," Clark finally understood why she left in the beginning, but he still wasn't liking it. There are still a lot of answers he wanted.

"Yeah. Ever since my mom died, he's been in this never-ending protective kick. About the only thing he's consistent with between me and my sister"

"You could've at least called"

"I know"

"Why didn't you?"

"A month later after the situation was neutralized… or at least that's what he said… anyway, when the threat was minimal that's when the pregnancy threw me unconscious…and you can just imagine my surprise"

Nodding, it was definitely a surprise. Clark lifted his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Were you hurt?"

"I honestly don't remember," she answers truthfully.

"I wished you didn't stay away. I would've been there for you"

"I don't doubt that"

Clark sighed, frustrated at the situation.

"I'm FURIOUS with you!"

"Yeah, I kinda noticed," she says blankly. Lois looked out into Metropolis, the lights bringing back memories of her time there. Her face saddens. "Lex knows what you're capable of"

Clark's head turned abruptly.

"What do you mean?"

She looked down on her hands, interlacing them and then pressing them firmly atop the ledge that separated her from the hearth to nothing at all.

"Before I found out I was pregnant, Lex visited me. I don't know how he found me, but he did, right outside my door at four in the morning." Clark balled his fist, angry that Lex may have threatened her but Lois's caring hand to his shoulder proved that wasn't the case. "He didn't hurt me... at least, I don't think so. He just came to talk"

Clark gulped, fear threatening to claim him.

"About what?" he managed to ask. Lex Luthor doesn't just come by and want nothing in return. It's not in his nature.

"About the meteor shower. The manifestation of the civilians that came across those meteor rocks. He shared with me everything he discovered about the town. All of it. The octagonal key. The stones. The cave walls… He knows Clark"

Clark shook his head, it's not possible.

"He remembers," she adds, and what he thought was not possible comes tumbling out.

"He knows?"

"He remembers you stopping that car right before the time Lionel committed him. He knows that you're capable of a lot of things even though he doesn't know where you come from."

"Is that why you stayed away?"

"No," Lois denies wholeheartedly. "It's one of the reasons why I came back"

"Eleven months later!"

Lois stopped herself from saying anything further until he has some time to process everything she just revealed. She knew he was going to be more upset when she reveals to him that during Lex's sudden visit, he brought with him the green rock, Kryptonite, to show her… and that exposure started a chain of events she hadn't expected… or was prepared for.

Or maybe she was just over exaggerating the whole thing. Sure, after seeing the small fragment of Kryptonite in Lex's hand, her stomach started getting queasy and upset to the point that she felt like she was dying inside.

She recalled the sudden bead of sweat that appeared seamlessly out of nowhere in such an air cooled environment. The nausea. And as she forcefully kept her composure in front of him, as soon as he left with the Kryptonite, she collapsed on the floor as the room quickly faded into darkness.

Several days later, she woke up one morning attached to a lot of monitors along with a headache and a craving for rocky road. Her father sat asleep besides her the entire time. And as she tried to make herself a lot more comfortable, she notices that the monitor she was hooked up to read a different set of heartbeats.

And that's when Lois knew.

**To be continued…**


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Notes**: I had a lovely time writing this chapter. I was left kind of grinning all the way through. I hope you like it.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 38**

Lois and Clark decide to walk to her father's place the rest of the way after their heavy handed discussion. Lois figured it'd be best not to fly in such difficult circumstances. Clark thought she was just being stubborn.

"We're here," announced Lois.

Clark stood rigid behind her, more nervous than he could ever imagine. He was about to meet his son for the first time, but he didn't anticipate just how overwhelming it can be, and he hadn't even met the little guy yet.

"You sure it's not too late?"

"If he's in bed, he's a heavy sleeper." She grins. "I wonder where he gets that from"

Clark smirks appreciatively, the nervous knots in his stomach slowly unraveling.

"Glad to know"

"But if he's awake, he's quite animated"

"I wonder where he gets that from," Clark says with a smile.

Lois gave a low chuckle. Touché.

Lois unlocked the door and went inside; about half-way through, she turned to see Clark still standing outside the doorway. She gave him a reassuring smile and gestures for him to come in. Clark breathes in first before doing as he is told.

Clark took a moment to look around. The apartment is neat, clean and very organized. All the things Lois is not. It must come from her father. Surprisingly though, the furniture had a very homely feel.

A moment later, Clark could hear Lois chuckle and he wonders what was amusing her so he approaches her.

"Hey"

"Shh…" Lois lightly warns with a forefinger on her lips. She points into the bedroom where they can see Lois's father sleeping in a rocking chair, a book over his chest. Lois leans in and whispers by Clark's ears. "Daddy's always wanted a son, and since he's missed practically most of our upbringing, I get the feeling he's trying to make up for lost time"

Clark smiled, albeit weakly yet gratefully. General Sam Lane appears to be a decent man, even if his actions last year was questionable to Clark's eyes. He suddenly feels Lois's hands interlock with his own and he looks up at her surprised.

"Relax," she says. "Cameron's in the crib"

Clark takes a step back. "I don't want to disturb him." He let go of her hand, even when he didn't want to.

Lois understands his reluctance. "All right, why don't you stay here then and I'll see if it's okay, how about that?" she recommends in a soft tone.

Clark nods.

Lois stepped quietly across the room and to Cameron's crib. She looked down and smiled at her baby, his striking green eyes wide and open. He giggled as soon as his mommy came into his line of sight, his little arms rises, trying to reach out to her.

"Hey sweetie, what are you doing awake?" Lois says lovingly, reaching down into the crib and taking him into her arms like a football as Cameron sunk his face against her chest.

She exited Cameron's room and found that Clark stood exactly where she left her with his eyes transfixed on the little bundle of joy she held in her arms.

"Why don't we go to the living room?"

Clark agrees his eyes still on the little baby. He followed her out into the living room where she sat down in a big soft sofa. "Its okay, Clark, he's not afraid of you"

Clark gulped and sat besides her and notices just how small their son really is. He let out a big smile and a hint of astonishment.

"Wow. He's so small," Clark observed.

"I would certainly hope so," Lois says amused. "I don't know if I could handle a teenager right off the bat"

Clark chuckled, reaching out with his fingers as Cameron plays with them with his little own. With the exception of the mother that gave birth to him, he's the most amazing thing he has ever seen.

"See, he likes you already." Lois turns her body towards him. "Would you like to hold him?"

"Oh, I don't know," Clark says fastly, unsure if he knew how. He's had very little experience with children let alone babies.

Lois couldn't help herself; she was amused that Clark, practically the most powerful man in the world, is insecure about holding a baby. Yes, it's his baby but a baby nonetheless.

"You won't hurt him, I promise"

Clark didn't answer for a second until finally letting out a nod.

"Since you're the football stud, this won't be hard. Just hold him like you would a football"

"Okay"

Lois placed Cameron appropriately in Clark's arms and as soon as he did, baby Cameron squealed in delight, apparently, the little one likes having all the attention. He gets that from both his parents.

As Clark held Cameron with his head lay gently against his left forearm; Clark sat marveled at the life he held before him. Cameron has gotten a little attached to his free hand, tapping Clark's fingers with his tiny ones as if trying to decipher what it is.

"I can't believe he's ours"

"I say that every night since the first day I held him"

"He's beautiful, Lois"

"I know"

Clark's eyes begin to glisten, the last time he felt complete happiness were every moment he spent with Lois when they were together. And now, it all started to come back to him in full force, and Clark knew all too well that reality would soon slip in so he held onto that feeling for as long as he could.

Cameron on the other hand didn't seem to be the least bit perturbed at the strange but familiar man's actions, he simply continued to smile and let out tiny giggles. Clark could tell his son is happy too.

"Can I keep holding him till he falls asleep?" Clark pleaded with his baby blues and Lois smiled. He didn't even have to ask.

"You can hold him for as long as you want…" A beat. "At least until he needs changing, so unless you've got another superpower you haven't shared with me yet, we're gonna have to change him"

Clark laughs softly.

"Deal"

Lois picked up her legs off the floor, pulling her knees to her chest as she watched Clark get to know their son. She should never have stayed away from him this long. Three months. Despite how low a number that is, three months is a lot of time to miss out on. Lois knew that better than anybody. She was the product of single parent child homes, so she definitely empathizes.

"Hi Cameron," Clark greets his baby for the first time. "I'm Clark." Cameron let out another giggle and Clark looked at Lois waiting… he wanted to know if he could tell him that he's his father.

Lois nods. Of course he can.

Clark rocked Cameron in his arms. "I'm your dad," he says aloud for the first time. 'Whoa' he thought.

Cameron let out a tiny laugh, it's like he already knew that and he's just teasing the new dad.

"You weren't kidding. He's really animated"

"Told ya"

"My parent's are going to kill me," Clark suddenly realized. Lois rolled her eyes, but Clark elaborates. "First, they're going to accept our son with open arms, and then they're going to kill me"

Lois chuckles at his logic.

"It wasn't entirely all your fault"

"We could've been careful"

"Would you have taken it all back?" Lois asked casually.

Clark looked down on his son. The answer was all there.

"No"

The rest of the night was spent with Clark getting to know Cameron and Lois falling asleep right around midnight. The following morning, Clark still held Cameron softly in his arms awake as his son continued to sleep. He didn't want to let him go just yet when a large clutter of noises started coming from Cameron's bedroom.

"Lois! Call 911! My grandson's MISSING!" the General yelled erratically. He stepped out to the living room with a golf club in his hand when he caught the sight of a stranger holding Cameron. Sam lowers his voice as to not wake the little guy. "All right there, son. Be careful with him. I'm a three-star General with a lot of guns. Put my grandson down now"

"Uh…" Clark swallowed hard and eyes a sleeping Lois besides him. The rear of the couch was facing her father, so he didn't see her there.

"LOIS!" The General yelled quickly towards her room.

"Huh… what?" Lois groaned out of her sleep when she heard the familiar loud calling of her name. She popped her head above the couch and caught the sight of her father holding his 7-iron with a readying swing. "What are you doing?"

The General points next to her. "There's a man next to you and he's holding my grandson"

Lois sighs and spots a nervous looking Clark besides her.

"It's okay dad, this is Clark, Cameron's father"

General Sam Lane kept his club raised and gawked at his eldest daughter with wide-eyes.

"Cameron's father?"

**To be continued…**


	39. Chapter 39

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 39**

Lois walked into the kitchen leaving Clark and Cameron in the living room while her father, the General, followed behind with a grim expression. The ones he used to give her when she skipped out on her classes or did something equally rebellious to get on his nerves.

"Do you mind telling me what's going on?" her father ordered.

Lois opened the fridge and reached in for the pitcher of orange juice and then grabbed another bottle that contained breast milk.

"I thought it was obvious. I brought Clark to meet his son"

"We decided to wait a little longer…"

"No," Lois says sternly. "You decided. I never agreed." Lois saw the concern all over her father's face. As far as timed pregnancies goes, hers went the normal nine months, and after Cameron was born, her dad had gotten softer. It weirded her out at first and she's still getting used to him playing the loving grandfather.

"I'm all right, dad. I'm safe, alive and healthy. And in case you've forgotten, Cameron actually has a father and he has right to know him. And it goes both ways"

"And I don't disagree"

"Good, now let's drop it." Lois throws the bottle of milk towards her father and he catches it easily. He placed it in the microwave to heat it up at an appropriate temperature. "And keep away from your clubs, you're dangerous with those things," she adds with a smile.

"At least tell me what kind of person this… Clark guy is?"

"What do you want to know?"

"His last name would be a good start"

Lois sighed. "You're not gonna do a background check on him! He's done nothing wrong"

"He got you pregnant," he reminded her.

Lois laughs at the accusation. "It was consensual." Upon realizing the topic being discussed at hand, she backpedaled. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Because you wouldn't talk about it before, that's why"

"You weren't exactly the go-to dad I would call for advice," she points out matter-of-factly.

"Lo, I'm trying here"

"Look. His name is Clark Kent and he's from Smallville. He moved out to Metropolis a few years ago and he had no idea about Cameron whatsoever, so please don't give him the third-degree. We're long past that phase of our nonexistent parent-child relationship"

"I'm just looking out for you"

"I know that and I thank you… but this is something I need to make right myself"

Sam took a peek out into the living room and saw Mr. Kent still carrying his son carefully but this time, upright by his shoulder looking out into the city through a window. He's just going to have to trust his daughter on this one.

"And you see that place over there?" Clark points out to Cameron, who was now wide-awake and his attention fully on Clark. "That's the Daily Planet and it's located right in the heart of Metropolis." Cameron looks out into the city, unfamiliar with the landscape but enamored by it all the same.

Clark continued speaking regularly to him. "That's where I took your mommy for our first date." Cameron smiles, giggling. "Yeah, you like hearing about mommy, huh." Clark kissed his son's cheek gently. "That's okay, I love hearing about her too"

Cameron laughs, his fingers touching Clark's face then hugging him. Clark loved feeling this way.

"You're definitely a Kent," he mused proudly.

Lois watched from behind, enjoying the scene between father and son. She's imagined this moment since she learned she was pregnant.

She left her grumpy father in the kitchen, she didn't want to get another lecture from him… actually, they came out more like debriefings.

Clark turned when he realizes Lois's presence behind him.

"Hey, how did it go?"

"I'm still alive," she joked, looking at herself from top to bottom.

"He didn't seem happy to see me"

"Don't mind him. He didn't expect you"

"Based on his reaction, I take that he didn't know who I was"

Lois shook her head admittedly. "He knew of you but when I found out I was pregnant, the first thing he would've done is order you to get tested or something. It's not the first time he's done that. Like I mentioned earlier, when he saw me unconscious, he ordered a battery of tests. I've never been fond of hospitals, so being poked and prodded into just proved my point why I hate it so much"

"I understand you were just trying to protect me." Cameron begins to make some noise, reaching out to his mother. "I think he misses you"

Lois smiles. "Good morning, sweetie," she greets her baby with a kiss to his forehead. Cameron giggles happily in response. She made no attempt to take him away from Clark. "He's actually the best-behaved baby I've ever been around"

Clark quirked an eyebrow.

He takes a wild guess. "Babysitting?"

"Actually, it was the Peace Corp. There were a lot of orphaned babies in Africa. It's one of the reasons why I pursued journalism so seriously. America has so much while they had so little. I wanted to make a difference, even if it was a little"

"If it matters any, you made a difference in my life"

Lois is touched. "That's sweet, but I can't take all the credit. You're parents raised you well. I just hope I can be the type of mom Mrs. Kent was too you"

"I have a feeling that you're going to do just fine"

Lois had been right, one look from Cameron and Clark felt like he would do anything for him. It amazed him how much power a child so small holds over him in such little time.

"Clark, there's still some things I need to tell you"

"What about?" Having their son in his arms, for a while Clark had forgotten everything that's transpired between them over the past year.

"About why I stayed away," she softly answered.

Clark turned, caught slightly off-guard.

"Okay"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the whole truth now.

"Do you want me to put Cameron in his crib first?" he asks.

"No. You're less inclined to get upset with him in your arms," she says a little sarcastically.

Clark grinned. "So that was your ulterior motive." He held Cameron out in front of him. "You see that, Cameron. Mommy's very sneaky"

Cameron looked back and forth between mommy and daddy, a smile that looked almost like a smirk was obvious on his face.

Lois had to chuckle before getting serious.

"Clark…"

"Hmm," he responded, holding Cameron back to his shoulder.

"There's something I want to warn you about." He already doesn't like where this conversation is heading. "Cameron can't get anywhere near Kryptonite"

Clark looks up, alarmed.

"I thought you said that he was normal"

"He is, but he's still a part of you. Even though he's human, he's also part Kryptonian. When Lex visited me in the hospital, he brought one with him, and it…"

"It hurt you, didn't it," he said more like a statement than a question.

Lois nodded.

"How bad was it?" This part, he wished he didn't have to hear but for their family's sake, he had to.

"I spent a good month in recovery after I was exposed," Lois says hesitantly.

Clark instinctually pulled Cameron closer to him, letting his chin touch against his small head and closing his eyes to listen to his heart beat, as well as Lois's. He wanted to make sure they were both all right at this moment, that's all that mattered to him now.

"I'm sorry"

"It wasn't your fault"

Clark looks at his son, scared about what this could mean. "Was he hurt?" Even the idea of him getting the slightest scratch filled him with fear.

"I was only a few months into the pregnancy when it happened, there were no lasting effects and our baby wasn't developed anywhere near enough to make any significant damage"

Clark breathed out a sigh of relief.

"You must've been scared"

"It all happened so fast. Dad grilled me for hours about the father… but I knew if I told him, there were a lot of questions needing answering"

"I would've done it," he snapped up in response. He didn't mean to sound forceful.

"I know. That's why I chose to play it by ear. As far as anyone knew, they thought I had an infection and I wanted it to stay that way. I don't want the government anywhere near our child, Clark"

"You didn't have to protect me; I've been doing it my entire life. I should've been here for you, for the both of you"

"It's not just you now, it's our son. I trust my father but I don't trust the world. Yes, I didn't attempt to contact you during my pregnancy, and yes, I still kept it to myself three months afterwards. That didn't mean I wasn't thinking about you. I thought about you all the time"

"I missed you so much"

"I missed you too"

Clark breathed out again. Everything is always complicated. "Did they figure out what it was?"

"No. When they realized that it wasn't contagious, most of their fears subsided. Dad though kept a watchful eye on me throughout the duration of the pregnancy. It's strange, you know. I learned more about my father this past year than I have my entire life"

"I'm glad you two were able to reach a compromise"

"We're still arguing," she scoffs amusingly. "But the conversation doesn't end with one of us hating each other, so I say that's a vast improvement." She paused for a moment thinking about the other people in their lives. "How's Chloe doing?"

"She misses you too"

"Is she angry?"

"Oh, she's gonna be pissed off… but she'll be happy to see you," he concludes, lightening the discussion. Clark knew he had to confront Lex soon but at the moment, he was completely content to get to know his son and the woman he continued to love despite the year they spent apart.

Lois sighs. "I should practice my graveling then"

Clark smiled. "You do that." He bounced Cameron carefully on his knee, giving off the impression he was a baby riding on a horse. "In the meantime, you think we can introduce him to my parents?"

Lois would love nothing more.

**To be continued…**


	40. Chapter 40

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 40**

Lois and Clark drove in a rented 2003 Toyota Camry. Lois insisted to drive back to Smallville so Clark could spend some more time getting to know Cameron, but before they could reach the town, large billows of smoke appeared in the distance. Clark's eyes go worrisome.

"Pull over"

"What?"

"Pull over; I'm gonna go check it out." Lois pulls over to the side of the road but keeps the engine running. Clark carefully hands Cameron to her. "I'll be right back, I'm just gonna make sure everyone's all right"

"Be careful"

Clark leans across the passenger seat and gives her a long kiss he's wanted to give her since she came back. Cameron broke out into fits of giggles as Lois and Clark were momentarily lost in one another.

"I'll be back," said Clark to Lois and then placing a kiss on Cameron's forehead. "I'll be back, little guy"

Lois held Cameron closer as she watched Clark disappear in a blink of an eye.

"I hope you don't get to run that fast at least until you're a teenager," Lois says to Cameron with a playful grin as the two stayed while Clark tended to damage control.

Clark super speeded and saw a semi-truck turned to its side with the driver unconscious. Clark goes to help him out when a sudden bout of pain took him over and he drops to his knees, clutching his stomach.

"You should have told me, Clark. It never had to be like this"

Clark could barely get a word out, the pain hurt so much.

"Lex?" he murmured underneath heavy breaths. He came out of nowhere. He must've been waiting.

"You think you could hide this from me forever?"

"Please, don't do this." A picture of Lois and Cameron appeared in his mind and he holds on to that image as tightly as he could. "I've… never hurt anyone"

"You hurt me!" Lex bellowed angrily. He takes the green meteor rock out of his pocket. "Who would've thought… Clark Kent, Kansas farm boy from another planet," he snickered. "You make me sick"

"I didn't mean to… hurt… anyone"

"Of course you didn't. Not to anyone, just me"

With barely any strength, he shook his head. "Please," he pleaded his mind and body weakening with every second exposed to the Kryptonite.

"Took me a while, you know, to remember everything. My father put me through electro shock therapy because of you. I went to Belle Reeves because of you. I'm bald because of you. I lost Lois, my best friend, to you!"

Clark tries to filter his words to think only of Lois and Cameron.

Lois waited anxiously for Clark to return, and when he hasn't, she worried.

"Screw this!" she says and Cameron makes a loud disgruntled noise probably at her phrase choice. "Sorry sweetie," she apologized to her son, who now sat in the back strapped inside his baby seat.

Lois steps on the gas. She hoped everything was all right.

"It took me a while to figure things out," Lex says, standing in front of an ailing Clark. "It's too bad, we could've made great friends, but I guess this is the story foretold in the cave walls. Segeath and Naman…"

"Lex, you don't have to do this"

"Do what? Be whom I'm destined to be?" Lex laughed. "What's wrong, Clark?" he taunted. "Or is your name Naman?"

"I'm… not… Naman"

"Even when you're dying, you won't tell me the truth," Lex says highly disappointed. "It's too bad, Clark. Ours was truly the kind of friendship legends were made of. You're lack of faith in me will be your downfall"

"You're… crazy"

Lex kneeled down before him and held the meteor rock to his chest as Clark held his scream of agony. "I may be crazy but I'm not the one pretending to be human"

As she got nearer to the crash site, Lois gasped in surprise as she saw Lex holding the Kryptonite at Clark. She slammed quickly on the breaks but not too fast that it could harm her baby.

She couldn't let Cameron anywhere near that murderous rock.

"Mommy's gonna be right back, sweetie." Lois exited the vehicle and ran towards Clark and Lex.

"Lex! Stop!" she screamed towards them.

Lex looked up expressionless.

"I see we've all come full circle now"

"What are you doing?" Lois knew what he was doing but she needed to get through to him if she were to help Clark get out of this alive. "This isn't you"

"Don't you think it's a little too late to be giving me this speech, Lois?"

"You're not a murderer"

"That's where you're wrong"

"And what would killing Clark accomplish exactly?" She needed to get him away from Clark and she needed to do it fast. Lois forced herself to school her features, refusing to show Lex even an ounce of fear.

"Well, my life and future would be a hell of a lot better without him in it, that's for sure," he says charismatically.

"I look at you and I don't even see you"

"I'm not the one sleeping with an alien"

"Is that what this is all about? Are you jealous, Lex? Are you angry with me because I chose Clark over you? I'm not that gullible… especially not over a guy let alone an alien. You gave me a choice and when you did that, you forfeited our friendship"

"I could've given you anything you wanted"

"What I want…" she began softly. "… is lying hurt behind you… and if you take that away from me, I swear to you Lex, I will kill you"

Lex didn't want to believe her.

"You're not a killer," he says, calling on her bluff.

Lois stood unfazed. "Then again, neither are you," she countered.

Lex clenched his jaw and squeezed the Kryptonite he held in his hand as Clark continued to wither in pain. The sudden sound of sirens broke the former friends out of their stances. Lex reached into his other pocket and revealed another green rock and he held the two in front of Lois to see.

He smiled, dropping one to the ground and holding onto the other as he ran towards his Jaguar.

Lois immediately sprints to Clark's side, grabbing the Kryptonite and tossing it out into the corn fields.

Clark starts to feel to regain full consciousness.

"It's gonna be okay," Lois whispered by him as she lay his head on her lap. Clark reached behind him and held onto Lois practically for dear life. "He's gone. Everything's gonna be fine"

"I'm… sorry," he says, his breathing rapid.

Lois shook her head. It wasn't his fault.

"We'll figure it out. And this time, we'll do it together, okay," she assured.

Less than a minute later, the paramedics and cop cars arrive. Clark hid behind in the corn fields watching from the distance as Lois explains stays behind to answer their questions. Lois insisted that he head back to the farm first and that she'll meet with him as soon as she was done.

Clark breathed in and turned around, bending down to lift Cameron in his baby seat.

"Hey buddy. I'm sorry you had to see all that… or… I don't if you saw anything at all, but I hope you didn't," Clark says to him softly. "Come on, I'm gonna take you home now and we'll meet mommy there, how about that"

Cameron grabbed his fingers and began to play with it.

Clark smiled. He wished he can keep this moment going forever. "Everything's gonna be okay." He looked out into the road once more, making eye contact with Lois before disappearing into the fields.

They had a lot more to talk about now than ever before.

**To be continued…**


	41. Chapter 41

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 41**

The house was empty when Clark finally arrived home. His parents were probably at the Farmer's Market or the Talon. They ran out of milk back in the car, so Clark reached into the fridge and took out a carton of milk and poured it into Cameron's bottle, and then he heated it up in the microwave.

Clark spent the next minute and a half talking to his son.

"You're lucky you're only three months old. You don't have to worry about adult stuff for many more years"

Cameron bounced in his seat and Clark couldn't help but think it was the cutest thing he has ever seen.

"He wasn't always mean, you know." Clark sits on a stool while Cameron sits comfortably in his carrier right on top of the table. "I wish things were different." Cameron smiles widely and it makes Clark smile in return. It only took one look at his baby to make him forget about the bad in his life. "You are so amazing," he proclaimed just as the back doors opened and Martha Kent appears with a bag of groceries.

"Mom!" Clark exclaimed.

"Oh, hi Clark. I wasn't expecting you." Clark quickly helped her with the bags and his dad appeared right before his mom did.

"Son, did you hear about that big trucking accident right along the interstate?" Jonathan asks absentmindedly.

Before Clark had a chance to answer, he hears his mother speak out. "Clark"

"Yeah, mom?"

"Why is there a baby on my table?"

Jonathan turned.

"Baby?"

Clark turned uncomfortable and Cameron starts to cry at the tension that suddenly sparked out of nowhere in the room. Martha's shocked expression immediately softens, moving towards the baby's side and lifting him up from his car seat.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart," she soothed as his mother carried Cameron like a pro. Clark had to smile but Jonathan was still confused.

"Do you mind explaining what's going on, son?" his father says sternly.

Cameron stops crying and Martha throws her husband a careful look. "Not too loud, Jonathan. You're scaring the baby"

"Cameron," Clark says.

"What?" asks both Jonathan and Martha.

"His name is Cameron," he repeated.

Martha smiles. "Cameron. That's a beautiful name," she says, holding the baby safe and close against her shoulder. "And so is he." Jonathan joins her side, greeting Cameron by shaking his tiny hands with his fingers.

"Whose kid is he?" Jonathan asks.

Clark opened his mouth to answer when again; someone else beat him to it.

"Mine"

All three Kent's turn their heads to rear door and see Lois standing by the doorway.

For several minutes now, Lois and Clark sat side-by-side in the living room sofa while they're being scrutinized under the intense gazes of Jonathan and Martha Kent. Cameron is in the dining room sleeping with Shelby looking over him. The mutt has already taken a liking to the newest member of the family.

"How could you two not be careful?" said Jonathan.

"We taught you better than this," added Martha, her words directed straight at her son.

"You're just kids," said Jonathan.

Clark stands up. "But we're not!..." he argued fruitlessly when he felt Lois's hand grab his arm to lead him back down on the couch. She shook her head indicating that he should let his parents vent.

Jonathan and Martha glared at their son.

"… kids, I mean," Clark ended a little more lowly.

Martha went to Lois's side and sat besides her, grabbing the young woman's hand and holding it in between hers.

"Lois, why didn't you tell us? We could've helped," her voice was soft, caring… motherly.

"That's what I said!" Clark interrupts.

"Clark…" Jonathan warned and Clark immediately obeys.

Lois looked towards Martha, the woman who has done nothing but treat her like she was her daughter. Her eyes glisten with tears ready to fall.

"It was a bad call... It seemed right at the time," Lois answered regrettably.

Despite everything, Martha could relate.

"Were you alone?"

Lois shook her head. "My dad was with me the whole time"

Jonathan made his way in between Lois and his son and sunk in between the two, mostly on Clark's side, shoving Clark out of the way. Clark looked at his dad with a 'come on' expression while Jonathan simply waved his complaint away.

"Well, Lois, I don't think I need to tell you this, but you know you're welcome here any time"

Lois breathed out a sigh of relief, and so does Clark. Now it was time to let his parents know about Lex Luthor, and how, just a couple of hours ago, nearly killed their son.

Clark went ahead and did some farm chores to clear his head of everything that's happened in the last several hours. The revelation of what happened at the interstate with Lex didn't go too well with his parents.

"You can stop now, son. It's okay to head back inside"

Clark puts on a brave face. "Are you guys still disappointed in me?"

"Son," Jonathan began, moving past him as he watches the sun set out in the horizon. "We're not disappointed." He looks back at his son who was watching him anxiously. It didn't matter how grown up Clark Kent would be, he'll always be his son. "It surprised us, that's all"

Neither was sure if they were referring to Lex or Cameron. Most likely it was Cameron. The subject of the Luthor's tend to be quite sensitive with his dad.

Deciding that they were talking about Cameron, "Yeah, tell me about it," Clark empathized. He had just learned about Cameron too so the surprise definitely went both ways.

A chuckle was shared between the two.

"We've all made our share of mistakes over the years…" Jonathan closed the gap between them and pulled him in his embrace. "…and even if you tried, you'll never disappoint me"

Clark buried his face in his father's neck, taking in the familiar and safe feeling of being protected by him.

After a moment, they move apart and Clark wipes some tears out of his eyes as his father does the same.

"Where's mom?"

"In the house with Lois getting to know her grandson," answered Jonathan with a large smile. "He's beautiful, son"

Clark looked at his father proudly.

"He's a miracle"

"Clark's powers developed over time, so I don't think we have to worry too much about Cameron getting it any earlier"

"Well, I'm not too concerned about that now. I just want him to be happy"

"We all want that for our children," Martha agreed thoughtfully. "What are your plans now?"

"With everything that's happening, especially with Lex… I don't… I really don't know."

"I know you'll figure it out," said Martha supportingly. "And we're here for you, always."

Lois smiles graciously. "Thank you"

Cameron is now sleeping peacefully in his grandmother's arms. Lois looked on thoughtfully.

"It's amazing how easily he's gotten used to this family," Lois says. "This past three months, it's only ever been me and my dad. My baby is such a socialite," she beamed at the knowledge.

Martha laughs.

"He's quite easy to fall in love with, that's for sure"

Lois smiled again.

"It's gotta be that Kent charm. It's been working its magic since the moment he was born"

Both ladies laugh.

It was nearing midnight and Clark couldn't sleep. He slowly crept his way up the stairs and made his way slowly into his bedroom in which Lois and their son were now occupying.

Next to where Lois slept was the small portable baby crib that they brought along after they left Metropolis to head to Smallville, and inside was their child.

Cameron.

Wide awake and looking around curiously in his surroundings. Clark smiled.

"Hey buddy, what are you doing up?" he whispered down to him. Clark lightly brushed his forefingers across his baby's soft cheek. "Are you watching over mommy?"

Cameron giggles lightly his response making Clark chuckle. He couldn't wait until he starts to crawl and walk all over the place. It's going to be an eventful future for them; a future he never thought was possible until he fell in love with Lois.

"I've only known you a day and already I love you so much," Clark softly admits emotionally, a single tear falling from his eyes. He doesn't wipe it away.

So many things have happened in so little time. Lois's sudden return. The knowledge that not only did they conceived a child together, but he's here now, alive and well and he's the most beautiful thing he has ever seen next to his mother.

And then there's Lex Luthor.

Where did it go so wrong with him?

**To be continued…**


	42. Chapter 42

**Author's Notes**: It's funny you should mention about where the story is going, Joseph. Before the Lois/Clark/Cameron storyline came into play, there was an ending, but then I got tempted to go past that and now a whole new plotline started. I do have a general idea on how it's going to end.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 42**

"You're not going back there"

Clark followed Lois down the stairs and across the living room to the front door. She opens it and looks at Clark squarely in the eyes.

"Yes I am," she says turning the knob of the door.

With the door barely even a few inches open, Clark pushed it shut.

"No you're not"

"Yes I am," she says stubbornly, opening the door again.

Clark refuses to let her go and pushed it shut once more. "No you're – "

"Stop arguing with me on this," Lois sighed, aggravated.

Clark moved in between her and the door, crossing his arms in the process. "Lex is dangerous. What happened the other day wasn't a fluke. He's got something planned and I don't want you anywhere near him, Lois"

"I've known Lex a long time – "

"He's not the Lex you knew anymore," he cut her off vehemently, clearly frustrated at the situation regarding Lex Luthor.

"I have to believe that if there's anything about him that was real, it's was our friendship"

"And if it isn't real?"

"Then Lex is truly gone"

"Will you at least wait a few days?"

"If we wait any longer, it'll just give Lex more time to sink into his hatred of you. I'm not gonna stand around and watch my past and future destroy each other. I won't do that, Clark. It's not in my nature"

"I don't want you getting hurt"

"I know how to take care of myself," she assured him, but it didn't ease Clark's worry one bit.

"I just got you back, Lois. You and our son. It's not just about us anymore. We have to think about his future too"

Lois knew this; that is why she needed to confront Lex herself. "I have to try, Clark. He was my friend once. I know it's hard for you to see that, and I understand, but I can't erase all those years I've known him." She paused, recalling the last couple of days. "And he nearly killed you, I can't have him threatening our lives every day for the rest of our lives. I need to face him and I need to do it alone"

"I don't want you to do it alone. I don't want you doing it at all," Clark says, his protective nature and love for this woman clouding his judgment.

"Stay here with Cam, please," Lois pleaded with her eyes. "I'll be back as soon as I can"

Clark shook his head, not liking or wanting to do as she requested at all. They've come so far…

"Lois – "

"You're no good to me dying, Clark"

Clark fixes her a glare. "What if he hurts you?"

"Then I'll hurt him back. You gotta trust me. Let me do this. I'll call you if there's even an ounce of trouble I can't handle"

"Fine!" Clark reached for his coat that hung next to the wall. Lois looks at him oddly.

"What are you doing?"

"Coming with you," he answered simply.

"Weren't we just arguing about how you would let me do this alone?" she inquired, annoyed.

"You can drop me off down the road before you hit the mansion. So when you call for help, I can hear you. I'm not letting you do this alone and that's final"

"What about our son?"

"MOM! Can you watch over Cameron for a few hours?" Clark yelled to his mother who was upstairs.

"That's no problem, sweetie!" Martha returned with a loud yell as well.

Clark turned to Lois, smirking. He opens the door and gestures her to exit first.

"You're unbelievable," she says, leaving the house.

Clark closed the door behind him. "You are too, so now we're even"

Lois pulled over a quarter of a mile from Lex's mansion. Clark removes the buckle from his seat belt. "Be careful," he says for the umpteenth time.

"I will," said Lois with an encouraging smile.

Clark exited the vehicle and walked around to Lois's side.

"Remember – " he starts but Lois intersects.

"I'll call you when things start to go downhill," she nods knowingly. "I know the drill"

Clark stood uncertain how to proceed. Should he kiss her or a simple good luck would suffice? They had spoken in depth about the current state of their relationship for hours the previous night. She had gone into detail about everything that's happened since she left, and Clark, in turn, told his.

The one thing neither elaborated on is how to move forward from there.

Lois sighed. "Are you gonna stand there and stare or are you going to kiss me good luck?"

Clark grinned. He should've known.

He lowered his head and met her lips with his. Every kiss with her felt like their first kiss, where the feeling was new and wondrous.

Magical.

Lois walked into the mansion like she has many times before with an air of confidence and familiarity. There was only one place in this majestic tombstone that Lex Luthor would often be found occupying.

She opened the double doors leading to his library. "Alexander," she greeted him, her voice calm and steady but very much there for a purpose.

"I see we're on a full name basis now. I must really be in trouble," Lex snickered, pulling up his feet to rest comfortably on top of his desk. "Lois Joanne Lane. Welcome to my humble abode. What brings you to this merry little town?" He though a moment and then chuckled. "Oh right. The alien"

"What do you want, Lex?"

He smiled almost mischievously. "You can't give me what I want. As I recall, you've proven that on more than one occasion"

"Is this what you've become?"

"If I wanted a sermon, I'd have gone to church, Miss Lane." Lex stands up and walks to his mini-bar.

"It's obvious that nothing I say will change who you are"

"I'm glad we finally agree on something"

"Yeah, except I've never asked you to be anyone else but you"

Her words hit a nerve.

"Don't bother begging for Clark's life. Sooner or later, one of us will fall and I'm gonna tell you right now Lois, it's not going to be me"

Clark paced nervously back and forth on the side of the road. His thoughts blurred with so many possible outcomes he felt like he was ready to go insane. Lex has always been unpredictable, that is one of the reasons why he never felt comfortable telling him what he really was.

And now…

With Lois and Cameron, the stakes has gone higher.

And it was scaring him. With his entire family in danger and his inability to protect them because Lex had a room full of the only disease on Earth that can kill him.

Kryptonite.

There was nothing he could do but wait and hope Lois knew what she was doing.

"Since you're not going to stop until you kill Clark and ruin everyone's lives, tell me this. Why?"

"The question holds no relevance, especially to me"

"I'm dead anyway, so come on…" she taunted. "It's a simple question that requires a simple answer. Why?"

Lex ignored her.

"What are you so afraid of Lex?"

"I'm NOT afraid of ANYBODY!" he spins and throws his glass of bourdon across the room, the glass flying pass Lois and hitting the wall behind her. It shatters into hundreds of pieces.

CRASH! Clark looked towards the direction of the mansion when his super hearing caught the sound of glass breaking. His eyes wide with worry.

He closed his eyes and focused. He felt the sound of Lois's heartbeat loud and clear. It beated fast but that was all.

She's okay.

Clark breathed out a sigh of relief. If he doesn't die by Lex's hands, it'll certainly be by Lois's.

"That was a waste of glassware. Didn't you import that from Spain?" Lois remarked half-honestly.

"Morocco"

"Same thing," she shrugged.

"Just leave, Lois." Lex just wanted to be alone and away from her.

"I'm not going to leave Lex"

"I can't stand seeing you there defending him," he admits bitterly. "I can't stand to look at you at all"

"Make no doubt about it. The feeling goes both ways"

"We were happy, weren't we?"

Lois doesn't answer. She loved and appreciated her friendship with Lex, but there are some things she just couldn't give him. It didn't matter how much money he had or how much influence he carried. Her emotions are who own, no one but her owns it.

"I'm sorry things had to end this way"

Lois wiped the tears forming in her eyes and left, leaving Lex to what he wanted.

To be alone.

"So am I," he says to Lois's retreating form. He reached for his keys and unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk revealing a .35 mm hand gun. Already loaded, he cocked it ready exiting his study the way Lois did.

Lois reached the bottom of the stairs and then…

BANG!

The body dropped dead.

Clark heard the gunshot. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach and he super speeded to the mansion as fast as he could.

**To be continued…**


	43. Final Chapter

**Author's Notes**: Sorry for the delay. This story has gone on long enough. Forty three chapters, I've written a lot of stories, so I think it's safe to say this has gone on the longest. A lot of twists I didn't expect it to take. It's been a helluva a ride for me. I even changed formats on more than one occasion. That must be brutal for you guys, I'm sorry about that. This chapter is meant to be a resolution. Not to continue the series. I proper closing, I guess you can say. It's been a pleasure, everyone. Thanks for your time.

**Metamorphosis – Chapter 43**

He panicked. "Lois? Lois?" he super speeded into the mansion as fast as he could. His heart beats fast. Fear was taking over him.

"Clark!" he heard from a short distance.

"Lois," he gasped, seeing her on the ground with her tear strained face next to a motionless Lex Luthor. The pistol he used still gripped tightly in his right hand. From where Clark stood, he could not hear his pulse.

Lex was dead.

He moved towards her, slowly. "He wouldn't listen," she spoke out suddenly, blood all over her hands. She remembered when they were children, playing hide & seek in the mansion. They were so young then, innocent. A whole future ahead of them.

It was all gone for him.

It had been gone a long time ago.

All because, "he just wouldn't listen"

It's been a couple of weeks since Lex Luthor's untimely death and the funeral that followed. Lois of course attended the funeral along with dozens of acquaintances and people that have worked alongside him over the years. Clark watched her from a distance, giving her time alone.

And when everyone was gone, she was still the only person that stood by his grave.

Even his father didn't care.

_Lex once told me that that when his father, Lionel, dies, kings will attend his funeral. When my father dies, his friends will come._

_Deep down, I'm thankful he didn't completely follow his father's footstep. _

_Lois is Lex's only friend. A better friend than I could ever be. I hoped, hoped so much that he wouldn't become his father. That he could be the man I know he could be. In the end, I understood that we all make our own choices, but it still doesn't make it any less easy._

Clark approached her from behind dressed in a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath and a black tie.

"Are you okay?" he paused, realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry. That was a stupid question"

"No," she turned. "Not stupid at all."

She reached out and intertwined her hand with his. "Let's get out of her," she said with a small smile.

He nodded, pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Everything's gonna be okay," he whispered.

She inhaled deeply, if it could only be that easy. She looked up at him with loving eyes and unwavering trust until they were joined by a man dressed in an expensive suit, holding a leather suitcase.

"Miss Lois Lane?"

She looked at him. "Yes," she answered.

"I'm really sorry for your loss. I don't mean to interrupt, but my name is Howard Anderson."

She smiled weakly, gripping Clark's hand a little tighter for support. "It's okay, what can I do for you?"

"I'm here as a representative for Alexander Luthor to give you his last will and testament," he said professionally.

Lois and Clark exchanged surprised looks.

"Everything?" Lois repeated, not quite believing what she was hearing.

By law, a will or testament is a document by which a person, and in this case, Lex Luthor, regulates the rights of others over his property after death. Lex has apparently drafted his will when he was 18 and has never made any attempts to change it since then.

It baffled her.

Their friendship did not end on good terms.

"I can't take this"

The attorney is surprised.

"Miss Lane, I assure you, I've been representing Mr. Luthor for several years and have had regular meetings with him. He has never questioned the will. His property… his company... and everything in it, is yours"

"What's the catch?" Clark asked his first question of the day.

"Catch, sir?" Mr. Anderson shook his head. "No catch. It's all legal. If you'd like, you can have your own lawyers look over these."

Lois thanked Clark silently for his quick support. She could barely sort out her thoughts.

"What are you going to do now?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. He was like a brother to me, but I don't want any part of the things that destroyed him"

"He would want you to do something with it. He wouldn't have given it all to you otherwise"

"His mansion is a tomb. LuthorCorp has questionable dealings." She paused, sighing. "And then there's Lionel Luthor. God knows what he'll do when he finds out." She sighed. "Lex, why did you do this?" she said out loud.

"There's a lot of history there, I know that," he understood. "Why don't we let my mom know… she's dealt with Lionel herself, she'll know better than anybody how to handle LuthorCorp and what to do with it"

"You're right"

He held her close. Soon, they could finally start a new and put the past behind them.

Lois stepped up the barn steps and slowly made her way to the window overlooking the familiar setting. The sun was nearing its rest and memories of an earlier time set in.

So much has changed.

Many for the better.

"Lois?"

She turned and smiled. "Hey"

"We were wondering where you disappeared to"

"Nowhere, really"

"Nowhere seemed like a great place to be," he smiled, sliding his arms underneath her arms, her back falling back on his chest as he held her lovingly. They both watched the sun set before them.

"It's so beautiful." She sighed, thankful. "It's always beautiful here"

"Mom! Dad! Look!" a handsome young boy at seven years of age called out from the ground as he made his way up the stairs. The boy quickly joined his parents, taking his mother's hand, lifting it over his small head so he could get hugged too. He pointed up in the sky. "Is that a meteor dad?"

They looked up in the sky and a wide smile spread across his lips.

"It sure is, Cam"

Cameron is astonished. "Cool!"

**The End.**


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